Our neighbors in Cuba are suffering a crisis since the US cut off oil recently. Also, the 68 year old U.S. blockade of Cuba hurts both Cuba and the U.S. However, Cuba continues to make unique contributions. For example, Cuba’s public biotech sector has developed NeuroEPO, a treatment that has shown promising results in slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Chicago’s Levántate por Cuba (LPC) and Belly of the Beast’s Director Daniel Montero recently held a virtual film screening of the new Cuban film Teresita’s Dream. This documentary tells the story of Cuban scientist Teresita Rodríguez, whose journey to find a treatment for Alzheimer’s was inspired by her personal experience caring for her mother. Scientist Teresita Rodríguez and her team — made up largely of women — are leading a story of science, care, and resistance. This film is a call to reimagine global health — and to stand in solidarity with those pushing for solutions against the odds. Levantate por Cuba is a U.S. based organization whose brigades to Santiago de Cuba are building people to people and organization to organization farming, health, solar power, and cultural solidarity and taking crucial supplies to rural communities hardest hit by 2025 Hurricane Melissa. If you or your organization would like to help, please send an email to levporc@pm.me.
People of the US are deprived because we are separated from Cuba. Seven million in the U.S. have Alzheimer’s, yet none can get this new treatment because of the blockade. Forty million have diabetes, yet none of the 166,000 amputees every year can get Cuba’s Heberprot-b medicine to prevent loss of toes, feet and legs. None of the 600,000 U.S. lung cancer victims can get Cuba’s CIMAvax vaccine to improve and extend their lives. And over 100 million U.S. adults who cannot read or write above a 5th grade level can take Cuba’s “Yes I Can” literacy program that has helped 11 million people in 33 countries.
Did you know that in September 2005, Cuba offered to send a medical brigade of 1,586 doctors, along with 26-36 tons of medicine and equipment, to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina in the United States? The offer was part of a planned contingent of specialists known as the Henry Reeve Brigade, prepared to work in challenging conditions, but it was rejected by the Bush administration. Did you know that Cuba sent a team of doctors and nurses to Chicago in 2017 to work on infant and maternal morbidity and mortality for 5 months?
To help the people survive, countries such as Mexico, Vietnam, Spain and Canada have recently sent food aid to Cuba. Other organizations are also aiming to help. Code Pink is joining a coalition to send aid to Havana by March 21st. Madison Wisconsin has a sister city relationship with Camaguey Cuba. This group is doing fundraisers with a film series recently to raise money for aid for Cuba. The next one is on March 8th, International Women’s Day. See a recent statement about solidarity with Cuba by the Chicago Antiwar Coalition here.
