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Fund honors transplant error victim Duke U. Hospital to help young Hispanic patients Associated Press Originally published May 9, 2003 DURHAM, N.C. - Three months after Jesica Santillan's botched heart-lung transplant, Duke University Hospital announced a $4 million fund in her memory yesterday to help families of other young Hispanic patients. "Jesica's sad outcome profoundly affected all of us at Duke," said Dr. Ralph Snyderman, head of Duke's health system. "It is especially appropriate that Duke Hospital create a significant fund that will help keep Jesica's memory alive forever." Santillan, a 17-year-old smuggled across the border from Mexico in hopes...

<p>DURHAM, N.C. -- According to a published report, Duke University Medical Center violated national transplant rules when it accepted Jesica Santillan for a heart and lung transplant.</p> <p>USA Today reported Monday that The United Network for Organ Sharing - the organization that oversees the nation's transplant system - requires that non-resident organ recipients be in the country legally.</p>

DURHAM -Jesica Santillan’s parents plan to inter their daughter in a mausoleum in North Carolina instead of returning her body to southern Mexico and risk being barred from re-entering the United States. The father, Melecio Huerta, has worked here legally and does not want to threaten his status, said Mack Mahoney, a family friend. Huerta and Magdalena Santillan, the mother, are also weighing a possible lawsuit against Duke University Hospital. But Magdalena Santillan worries about taking money from her daughter’s death, Mahoney said. "The attorneys are just now getting into the investigation," Mahoney said Thursday. "Her momma’s worried because I...

Teen transplant patient dies after setbacks By EMERY P. DALESIO, The Associated Press DURHAM -- Jesica Santillan, who survived a botched heart-lung transplant long enough to get a second set of donated organs, died this afternoon. Jesica was declared brain dead at 1:25 p.m. and taken off life-support machines at about 5 p.m., said Richard Puff, Duke University Medical Center spokesman. Earlier today, a lawyer for the 17-year-old's family said they would not agree to remove her from life support until they were allowed to get an outside doctor's opinion on her condition. Puff did not know if the hospital...