From Illness to Reinvention: Subjective and Labor Challenges of a Transplanted Migrant

This paper discusses the experience of a transplanted individual who migrated to Portugal, analyzing the impacts of this condition on his possibilities for reintegration into the labor market. Using a qualitative approach, interviews were conducted with a Brazilian transplant recipient whose medical procedure took place in Brazil and who moved with his family to Portugal in search of a better quality of life. The study considers the challenges faced by this individual, both in accessing the Portuguese health care system and in seeking employment, highlighting the specificities associated with the condition of being a transplant recipient. The analysis reveals that, although medical treatment was accessible and effective, reintegration into the formal labor market presented significant barriers, leading the interviewee to undertake entrepreneurial activities in the tourism sector. The research also addresses subjective aspects related to quality of life, perceptions of welcoming in the host country, and coping strategies adopted. It is concluded that, for this subject, the condition of being a transplant recipient did not impose additional challenges on migration with regard to health; however, access to employment proved to be more difficult, demonstrating a lack of public policies sensitive to the needs of these individuals.