Jesica Santillan

Jesica Santillan (December 26, 1985 – February 22, 2003) was a Mexican national who died after an organ transplant operation in which she received the heart and lungs of a patient whose blood type did not match hers.[1] Doctors at the Duke University Medical Center failed to check the compatibility before surgery began.

Jesica, two siblings, her mother Magdelena Santillan and her mother's boyfriend Melecio Huerta illegally entered the United States from Tamazula, Mexico, a town 275 miles west of Mexico City, so that she could receive medical treatment.[2] Relatives have stated that the family paid a coyote to get them across the border.[citation needed] During the journey, thieves stole all of the family's money, including Jesica's earrings.[2] The family settled in Durham, North Carolina near Duke University Hospital and successfully raised money for the transplant operation with the help of Mack Mahoney, a local businessman.[3]

  1. ^ "Anatomy of a Mistake - CBS News". CBS News. 16 March 2003.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ WRAL (2013-10-23). "10 years later, questions surround Jesica's Hope Chest charity". WRAL.com. Retrieved 2021-05-07.