During our July General Surgery Mission Trip to Cochabamba, Bolivia, we met patients whose strength and stories continue to touch our hearts. They remind us why we serve and inspire us to continue working to expand access to surgical care. Meet some of the patients below:

Luis Edwin, 65 – Married with six grown children and 11 grandchildren, Luis and his wife care for the little ones while their parents work. The grandchildren fondly call them “papa” and “mama.” Originally from Chapare, Luis migrated to Cochabamba 40 years ago with his mother, who suffered from asthma; the climate there is recommended for patients with asthma. Despite his many years in Cochabamba, Luis proudly says, “I will always be from Chapare in my heart.” Luis underwent inguinal hernia repair and was discharged the day after his laparoscopic surgery.

Amelia in her home during a visit from the Puente de Solidaridad social work team

Dunia, 75 – Originally from Villa Monte, a town near Tarija in southern Bolivia, Dunia has lived in Cochabamba for 50 years. She has three grown children and a strong Catholic faith, with a deep devotion to the Blessed Mother. She underwent inguinal hernia repair and was discharged the day after laparoscopic surgery.

Jaime with Dr. Kinga Powers before surgery

Amelia, 44 – Amelia has a 13-year-old son. The two of them live with Amelia's sister and nephew. Amelia was light-hearted at first when welcoming us into her home. But after discussing her hernias and upcoming surgery, she opened up about another health challenge: bone loss that is causing her upper teeth to fall out. She couldn't afford expensive dental care and equally-important hernia surgery. She prioritized the surgery, but even if operated at the public hospital, she could not afford to purchase the specialized mesh and laparoscopic instruments. During this week's mission trip, Amelia underwent surgery for multiple ventral hernias. The mesh and other essential supplies were provided by Solidarity Bridge's in-kind donors, including Americares, MAP International, and HSMO.

Elias, 33 – Elias is a physician, married, and has one daughter. He lives in Cochabamba and works as an emergency room doctor in a hospital outside the city. He underwent a laparoscopic fundoplication (Nissen procedure) to treat GERD caused by a hiatal hernia. He was discharged two days after surgery and said he planned to return to work two weeks later.

Justina and her husband receiving the accompaniment team at their home before surgery

Jaime, 72 – Jaime is in excellent physical condition and enjoys running and walking for exercise. He is married, with two children and two grandchildren. He underwent inguinal hernia repair and was discharged the day after laparoscopic surgery.

Justina, 62 – Justina’s husband, 66, is disabled following an accident in which his skull was fractured; he has undergone two cranial surgeries. Together, they have five children, and their youngest, a 30-year-old son, still lives at home. Justina underwent surgery for a ventral hernia.

Harold, 39 – Harold lives in Cochabamba and works as a waiter in a meat-specialty restaurant, where his wife is also a cook. They have a grown daughter who lives separately with her partner. Harold underwent inguinal hernia repair and was discharged the day after surgery.

Rolan, 46 – Originally from Tarija in southern Bolivia, Rolan moved to Cochabamba 7–8 years ago due to asthma, which he believes was caused by fumes from transporting petroleum as a truck driver. He recently had a truck accident, arriving with a bandage on his nose from the injury. Rolan has one biological son, age 27, and three grandchildren who remain in Tarija. His current partner has three children of her own. He underwent inguinal hernia repair.

Paulina, 72 — Paulina is from the central Bolivian town of Mizque, but due to her ill health has reluctantly moved to Cochabamba to live with her son and his family. She suffers from Chagas disease, a parasitic infection endemic to her home region. Up to one-third of people infected with Chagas develop heart failure and/or digestive disorders. Paulina is especially unlucky – her heart is weakened, and she underwent surgery last year for Chagasic megacolon. Now her esophagus is direly impacted as well, massively distended and unable to move food through to the stomach… Read Paulina’s Full Story

Meet the Patients Who Bring Our Mission to Life