Venezuelan cancer patient's ashes to go to homeland

Relatives of Venezuelan cancer patient Dominga Pagola, 57, intend to take her ashes to her homeland.

Pagola’s funeral took place on Wednesday at a funeral home in Couva where the body was also cremated.

"Today (Thursday), I am going to the home for her ashes. The family wants to take it to Venezuela whenever we get the chance to do so," her grieving daughter Maria Romero told Newsday.

The mother of two, a biology teacher from Tucupita, died on Sunday.

In October, doctors diagnosed her with uterine cancer.

She also had fibroids which were causing her to lose a lot of blood. Less than two weeks ago, Romero pleaded with the public to donate blood to stabilise her mother’s condition.

The family was planning to return Pagola to Venezuela for additional care had her condition stabilised.

In TT, non-nationals are only entitled to free primary health care at public institutions.

On February 4, a friend set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for Pagola’s medical expenses.

The fundraising page raised US$1,011 of the US$10,000 goal.