Solidarity
Bridge
The Chicago Catholic Medical,
Enterprise, and Education Missions
Mailing
Address:
1577 Florence Ave.
Evanston, IL 60201
Warehouse:
1711 Darrow Ave, #3
Evanston, Illinois 60201
Phone: (847) 328-7748
Fax: (847) 328-6860
solidbridge@gmail.com
Board
of Directors
James
Hallagan, Secretary
Juan L. Hinojosa, Ph.D., Vice Chair
Bishop Francis Kane
Theresa Lee, M.D.
Bruce Leech, Chair
Dan
Lum,
M.D., Treasurer
Jan Mezyk, M.D.
Richard Moser, M.D.
Rev. Robert Oldershaw
Anton Steinhart
Enrique Via-Reque,
M.D.
Daniel Yousif, M.D.
†
Rev. Robert McLaughlin
† Deacon Jeff Shaw,
R.N.
United
States Staff
Juan L. Hinojosa, Ph.D., Executive Director
Ann Rhomberg, LCSW
Associate Director
Christin Hinojosa, M.A.
Development Director
Program Director
Kristine Delacourte
Solidarity Clothing Coordinator
Sarah Hinojosa, M.T.S.
Lenten and Advent Cause Director
Karen O'Leary
Administrative Assistant
Enrique Via-Reque, M.D.
Medical Director
Bolivia Staff
Carlos Brockmann
Country Coordinator
Maria
Eugenia Rojas
Country Coordinator
Jose Choque
Cooperatives Coordinator
Vision Program Coordinator
Miguel Esteban
Pacemaker Inventory
Adminda Gomez
Office Manager/
Accountant
Maria Ines Uriona
Social Worker
Marina Romero
Santa Cruz Coordinator
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Ongoing
Medical Programs
| Our Kid's Heart Repair Program saved little Mildreth's life. Over the years, we have seen
children in desperate situations that without remedy
will lead to death. Many
are |
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born with heart defects, contract rheumatic fever and other
maladies that lead to needing major cardiac surgery. The costs
of one of these surgeries in the U.S. would range from $50,000
to over $200,000.
We have established a partnership with Hospital Belga in Cochabamba, the
best hospital in Bolivia for cardiac surgery. The hospital was
originally established with help |
from
the Belgian government and the doctors were trained in the
University of Luvain in Belgium. They are excellent surgeons
with up-to-date equipment.
As
of 2007, in partnership with Solidarity Bridge, Hospital
Belga has operated on 26 children. There are many more waiting help
and if they do not receive it, the time for help will pass.
This project is made possible by the Goff Gift Fund.
The
Children's Bridge Program
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Eliana (on right) has a brain tumor that would've eventually
killed her if we hadn't brought her to the U.S. for treatment.
There are many sick Bolivian children with complicated medical
issues who we
cannot
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| help on mission because
of time and equipment constraints. These
indigent children desperately
need to be brought to the U.S. for critical medical care. Through the Children's Bridge we coordinate everything for the children's
stay here in the U.S.: air transportation, visas, U.S. families
to house the children and their parents, medical personnel to perform
the procedures for free, medicines, and U.S. hospitals willing to
dismiss the costs associated with the children's treatment.
Pacemaker
Implant Program
Our annual cost of $95,000 for our Pacemaker Implant Program multiplies
thirteen times into $1.2 million worth of surgeries for the poor of Bolivia,
saving over 100 lives a year!
One of the
most serious medical issues facing Bolivia today is Chagas, a parasitic
heart disease, which affects 1.8 million Bolivians, mostly those
who live in poverty or rural areas. In 2004, Solidarity Bridge forged
a partnership with the Medtronic Corporation who committed to donating
hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of pacemakers and other related
heart surgical supplies to save the lives of poor Bolivians afflicted
with Chagas. These devices cost upwards of $8,000. The average wage
in Bolivia is between $50 and $100 a month, making it impossible
for the poor to receive the medical aid they need without our help.
Since 2001, we have implanted nearly 475 pacemakers in suffering Bolivians. This program
functions in two cities: Cochabamba and Santa Cruz and
draws on patients from the entire country.
After meeting the pacemaker
needs of every poor person in Bolivia, our goal is to move into
other South American countries.
Neurosurgery Program |
| A
neurological surgery can make the difference between life and
death. In the U.S., neurosurgery has advanced considerably in
the last fifteen years. On the other hand, in Bolivia, they |
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| continue to use primitive technology. While there are well trained
and dedicated neurosurgeons in Bolivia willing to care for their
fellow citizens regardless of ability to pay, the resources
are extremely limited.
In Bolivia,
children wait endlessly in hospitals for shunts they cannot afford
to drain liquid from their brains. Injured workers, earning a few
dollars a day as the only income for their families, remain bedridden
for months because of spinal fractures that can not be stabilized
with the surgical equipment available in Bolivia. Cysts and other
benign conditions of the brain can not be safely drained due to
lack of advanced cranial surgery.
Our project aims to raise the level of neurosurgery
in Bolivia through advanced technology and training. While focusing
on serving Bolivians in deep poverty, the Neurosurgery Project will
promote neurosurgical care for all Bolivians. We have targeted the
three major population regions of Bolivia, La Paz, Cochabamba and
Santa Cruz. Under the leadership of neurosurgeon Richard Moser,
Solidarity Bridge will supply our Bolivian partners with critically
needed neurosurgery materials, equipment, instruments, implants
and training.
Children's Vision Program
Imagine being a child and everything is blurry. Everyone thinks you are stupid because you cannot see well and you cannot do well in school or work to support your family. This is a burden no child should have to bear.
In partnership with The Goff Gift Fund, Solidarity Bridge is screening children for vision problems and giving them eyeglasses to better see their world! We are in our pilot year and have begun screening children in public schools and orphanages and providing the needy with eyeglasses.
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