Milagro Garel, Long-time Children’s Health Advocate, Has Died

Milagro Garel, World Pediatrics’ country director in Belize and a twenty-year advocate for children’s healthcare in the country, has died, her family announced.

According to a statement shared by her loved ones, Garel passed away peacefully, surrounded by family. “It is with broken hearts that we share that our beloved Milagro passed away peacefully this afternoon, surrounded by love.”

Garel had spent more than a month fighting for her life after suffering a ruptured cerebral aneurysm on July 28th. She was initially stabilised in Belize before being air-evacuated to a hospital in Guatemala, where she underwent high-risk surgery and remained in intensive care in the weeks that followed. Her husband, Joe Garel, shared regular updates on her condition throughout her recovery, chronicling small signs of progress as she slowly regained consciousness.

The family thanked the many Belizeans who rallied behind Garel and her family throughout her illness, including through fundraising efforts that covered the cost of her emergency medical transport, surgery, and hospitalisation, estimated at roughly $95,000 to $140,000. “For more than a month, so many of you hoped with us, supported us and walked beside Milagro and her family through every step of this difficult journey. Today, we simply say thank you for the tremendous love you have shown her and her family.”

For over two decades, Garel worked to connect Belizean children with life-saving medical and surgical care through her work with World Paediatrics, Friends of Paediatrics, and other community organisations, helping countless families access treatment that would otherwise have been out of reach.

Her family closed their announcement with a tribute to the impact she leaves behind. “Your beautiful smile, your incredible spirit and the light you brought into so many lives will remain with us forever. Rest peacefully, Milagro. Until we meet again.”