After a titanic fight by himself and his parents to survive cancer, 14-year old Ilianov de Leon passed away yesterday in New York City. His story is one of accomplishing what seems impossible and of Dominican solidarity. Nine months ago, when Ilianov’s parents were informed their son needed a bone marrow transparent for a chance at overcoming his leukemia, it seemed like a death sentence. University professors, where were they going to get the US$450,000 to fit the hospital bill? They accomplished the impossible, gathering the money by appealing to Dominican solidarity. A nationwide campaign was carried out and the US$450,000 were collected. The transplant was a success, but Ilianov’s body did not resist the radiation therapy that preceded it, and he fell in a state of coma. His medics at the Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center finally decided to disconnect the life-giving connection. His body is slated to return on Thursday. He will be mourned at the Funeraria Blandino. The attention given to his case, and that of Deborah Gregory that preceded him, has moved the government to invest in a bone marrow transplant unit to enable these operations to be carried out in the DR. It is expected that once the unit is in operations it will be named in honor of Ilianov, whose smile and baldhead stole the hearts of all Dominicans.
