RHEUMATIC HEART DISEASE

Heart disease is a leading cause of death and suffering in Bolivia. Bolivia has the third highest rate of rheumatic heart disease in the world. Many who had rheumatic fever when young and live through the illness, find their heart severely damaged. They often develop rheumatic heart disease and to survive, desperately need open heart surgery involving heart valve replacement.

However, in Bolivia, an open heart surgery costs over $12,000. Though this sum is much less expensive than the cost of surgery in the U.S., it is well beyond the means of all but the wealthiest Bolivians. The majority of Bolivians earn under $1,000 a year making a surgery to save their life an utter impossibility.

KIDS’ HEART REPAIR &
ADULT OPEN HEART SURGERY

Solidarity Bridge addresses the problem of rheumatic heart disease and other heart ailments requiring open heart surgery through two programs. In partnership with the Goff Gift Fund, we provide surgery for children through our Kids’ Heart Repair Program. In partnership with the Sisters of Casimir, we provide surgery for adults through our Adult Open Heart Surgery Program. Through these programs, working with local Bolivian cardiac surgeons and their teams, Solidarity Bridge saves the lives of roughly 25 people a year.