One of the beautiful experiences of the Pediatric Epilepsy Mission Trips is the community they create between families with children awaiting surgery and those whose children have already undergone surgery through this program. Each mission trip is an opportunity to check in on patients and their families who we operated on 6 months previously. So far, our former patients are all experiencing greatly improved quality of life and their families often express deep gratitude and relief for how transformative the surgery is for the entire family. The families support each other and give words of encouragement to those awaiting surgery. Many stay in touch and maintain friendships long after the mission trip.

August is National Make-A-Will Month, a meaningful reminder that your plans for the future can make a lasting difference. By including Solidarity Bridge in your estate plans alongside your loved ones, you can create a legacy that brings life-changing surgery to children and adults in need for generations to come.

While Solidarity Bridge provides resources, training, and expertise, we have learned that sustainable impact only takes root when local leaders take ownership and carry the work forward. For new initiatives, we search for these key “local champions” that have vision, commitment, and perseverance. That is why we have been so energized by our partners in pediatric epilepsy surgery. The MOSCH team provides nearly 6,500 neurology consultations per year, of which up to 49% are patients with epilepsy. According to statistics in Latin America, 30% of these will be drug-resistant, and of these, 15% are possible candidates for epilepsy surgery.

 Now in its second year, the U.S. Neurosurgical Observership initiative selects two outstanding participants annually for a one-month immersive experience at the University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Neurological Surgery. To date, the program has supported four observerships at UW–Madison, as well as a specialized neuro-monitoring observership at Mass General Brigham through Solidarity Bridge missioners.

These observerships provide a comprehensive view of patient care in a multidisciplinary, high-resource setting. Participants gain insight into clinical decision-making, patient-centered approaches, and collaboration across subspecialties.

Serving as a chaplain on this mission trip has made me realize how out of order my own worries and preoccupations can be. The patients and their relatives I met during this mission trip made me realize that I already have the most important and valuable things in life: my family is healthy, and most importantly, we are alive. We often take life and health for granted, without realizing that they are the most precious gifts we have. 

Solidarity Bridge recently concluded its sixth Oncological Surgery Mission Trip to the Cancer Institute of Eastern Bolivia, Bolivia’s main public cancer hospital. Four of the ten patients treated have advanced pancreatic cancers… The Whipple is described as one of the most complex abdominal surgeries. Surgeons who want to master the Whipple need to participate in as many surgeries as they can alongside more-experienced peers who can mentor them on how to assess and proceed in every unique scenario. 

On April 25, 2026, Solidarity Bridge’s Neurosurgery and Neurology Institute (NNI) convened partners in Chicago for a groundbreaking symposium focused on strengthening global neurosurgical care through a more integrative approach. Leaders in neurosurgery, neurology, and multidisciplinary neuro care joined from institutions across the United States, alongside partners from Paraguay and Bolivia. Many of these collaborators have spent the past seven years working with Solidarity Bridge to develop a model that moves beyond short-term interventions and focuses on building complete, locally led systems of care.

Before my first trip, a colleague who has traveled with Solidarity Bridge told me, “This experience will remind you why you chose healthcare.” She was absolutely right. This oncological surgery mission trip was a reset. It challenged me, grounded me, and ultimately renewed my sense of purpose. I returned home not only reinvigorated, but deeply grateful.

As we observe Holy Week along with communities across Bolivia and Latin America, we are reminded that the Easter Triduum—the summit of the Catholic liturgical year—stands at the heart of our faith. Though the Easter Triduum is celebrated on three separate days, it is really a single liturgical moment divided into three: Holy Thursday in remembrance of the Last Supper, Good Friday in remembrance of the Lord's passion on the cross, and the Easter Vigil in celebration of the Lord’s resurrection. Do these three parts matter for our lives and for our mission at Solidarity Bridge? 

As we journey through the season of Lent, the practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving help us deepen our spiritual lives in preparation for Easter. Almsgiving, the act of responding generously to the needs of others, is an act of joy. At Solidarity Bridge, we see this spirit of joyful generosity lived out through people like Margaret Flanagan and her family. Margaret has supported Solidarity Bridge for over 15 years. She became involved through her late father, Dr. Bob LaPata, a physician remembered not only for his medical skills, but for his compassion, humility, and generosity.

Sometimes, success is not defined by a successful surgical outcome but by having the courage to make difficult decisions that protect patients’ lives. As this year’s Neurotrauma Mission Trip began, Simon was waiting with his mother outside the neurosurgery clinic for his chance to be seen by the Solidarity Bridge NNI team for his pre-op screening evaluation. They hoped the surgical team could relieve the unrelenting pain Simon suffered from Trigeminal Neuralgia.

Candice and Dr. Fuentes spent a good portion of each day together, examining patients, making diagnoses, and consulting on treatment plans. Both agree that there are many benefits to the cross-cultural sharing of knowledge they experienced during their week together.  While the patients have benefited from the experience, so have Candice and Dr. Fuentes. Dr. Fuentes shared, “The experience was really amazing.  We’ve been sharing treatment plans; some are the same and some are different than in the U.S. ” He continued,  “It has been really beneficial for both of us because we have been able to discuss criteria for diseases and how a patient’s presentation for an illness might vary in different regions of the world.