Young TV Host Dies of Cervical Cancer: Raquel Escalante Was 28

Raquel Escalante, a Guatemalan TV host and former Miss Intercontinental Guatemala, has died after documenting her journey with cervical cancer. She was 28.

TV Aztec Guate, Escalante’s employer, announced the news in a Nov. 28 Instagram post looking back on some of her happiest moments at the network.

“Her charisma, her joy and that special light that always accompanied her made every moment by her side something unique and memorable,” read the tribute in Spanish. “Today we bid farewell to a colleague and friend who left a huge imprint on our hearts. Her smile, her energy and her passion for communicating will continue to inspire us every day.”

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Escalante, who was crowned Miss Intercontinental Guatemala in 2021, announced in August 2024 that she had been hospitalized with low hemoglobin levels, and in October, her cousin shared in a GoFundMe that she had been diagnosed with cervical cancer.

The GoFundMe, which aimed to raise money for Escalante’s medical bills, noted that after she underwent surgery to remove the cancerous cells, she suffered from “countless side effects,” including “kidney damage, gastrointestinal problems, damage to the main nerves in her spine, and requiring blood transfusions, hemodialysis, and other complications” in addition to “unbearable pain” that prevented her from having a “normal quality” of life.

@raquelescalantegt

Ojo, ningún estigma puede llevarnos a discriminar ni a tratar como menos a los demás. Eso (Juzgar) también nos convierte en pecadores y para Dios todos los pecados valen lo mismo. Un beso para todos ♥️ Nadie más que Dios y mi mamá, saben realmente todo lo que he sufrido 🤗 #cancerwarrior #parati #guatemala #raquelescalante #fy #fyp

♬ Nadie me va a dominar – Cover – Mauna

“We are reaching out to all kind-hearted people who wish to support her with her medical expenses, as Raquel is very ill,” the GoFundMe description reads in Spanish. “She has spent most of her time in the hospital since February and has had to pay a lot of money in hospitals. Her adoptive family has helped her, however, there are situations that are beyond our control.”

In May, Escalante shared a TikTok that showed some of the moments of her medical journey, writing in the translated caption, “No one but God and my mother really know all that I have suffered.”