Living with Dignity: Paulina’s Journey Back Home

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...

Medical Mission Trip BlogJodi GrahlSeptember 8, 2025General Surgery, Patient Impact, GS Patient, GS feature, Chagas DiseaseComment

Meet the Patients Who Bring Our Mission to Life

During our recent 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 keep expanding access to surgical care.

Medical Mission Trip BlogSolidarity BridgeSeptember 2, 2025General Surgery, CochabambaComment

Accompanying Patients Along the Healing Journey

Our patients are supported by “acompañantes,” who may be lay or religious chaplains or others who spiritually and emotionally accompany them and their families, before, during, and after surgery. These “accompaniers” frequently sit with families in their darkest moments, awaiting the results of a critical laboratory exam or the outcome of a delicate surgery. They may be there to celebrate with them, or to hold their hand and pray with them for strength and peace.

Our accompaniment teams are in turn blessed to listen to the unique stories of each patient we serve. Here are a few of those stories

Faster Healing: Laparoscopy’s Role in Low-Income Healthcare

Too often, we overlook the fact that there is not only an economic barrier preventing patients from receiving care but also a time barrier. In many cases, the ability to take time off to heal is a luxury. Many patients put off life-saving surgery because they can’t afford to take time off. This is why our general surgery program has placed a strong emphasis on training local doctors and residents in laparoscopic surgery, as well as donating laparoscopic equipment and supplies.

Medical Mission Trip BlogAllison HavensOctober 29, 2024laparoscopy, General SurgeryComment

Mobile Surgery Campaigns Bring Care Close to Home

More than 100 patients have undergone gallbladder or hernia surgery so far in 2024 through mobile surgery campaigns to municipal hospitals throughout Bolivia.

Updates from the SB TeamJodi GrahlAugust 1, 2024General Surgery, Jodi Grahl, Mobile CampaignComment

A visit to El Torno

Our mission team had the pleasure of visiting one of the sites of our mobile laparoscopic surgery campaigns to see the impact of our partnership in the hospital and the surrounding community.

Updates from the SB TeamSolidarity BridgeMay 29, 2024Jodi Grahl, General SurgeryComment

A New Generation of Cancer Surgeons for Bolivia

Bolivian doctors interested in pursuing sub-specialized training such as oncological surgery have very limited training options in-country. Our mission trip offers an opportunity for these doctors to operate alongside a surgeon who has performed thousands of the most difficult pancreatic and hepatobiliary surgical procedures.

Caring for the Caregivers

The women we care for are themselves caregivers—they are mothers, they are daughters, they have jobs that put food on the table. Until this trip, I never fully understood the profound difference that access to minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery can make in allowing a patient to pursue treatment.

Third Trip Advances Laparoscopy at ICO

Returning to the Chuquisaqueño Cancer Institute this week, our goal is to leave the hospital team prepared to independently perform laparoscopic hysterectomies going forward.

Medical Mission Trip BlogSolidarity BridgeOctober 16, 2023ICO, Sucre, Jodi Grahl, KimGrahl, Gynecology, General Surgery, cancerComment

The Ups and Downs of Cancer Care

Resuming our in-person partnership with the Oncological Institute of Eastern Bolivia this month, our main goal was to provide specialized training and fill essential surgical equipment and supply needs. But we also traveled to the Cancer Institute to share the burden, albeit for just one week, of the ups and downs of cancer care.

Medical Mission Trip BlogJodi GrahlMarch 29, 2023General Surgery, Jodi Grahl, GS feature, OncologyComment

Florentino's Journey

Florentino’s health was declining minute by minute. He was not expected to survive the night. Bolivian Dr. Susana Aviles and US Dr. Malcolm Bilimoria consulted and they agreed they would operate together as soon as Florentino could be prepped.

A Bright New Dawn

It’s a bright new dawn in Cochabamba today as our patient, Marian, has recovered her ability to swallow food.

Meet one of our newest Bolivian partners

Bolivian colorectal surgeon, Dr. Fernando Nogales, reflects on how he came to join our mission. His path illustrates challenges Bolivian doctors face in fulfilling their vocations, and how our programs can help overcome some barriers.

Heart Program Expands to Tarija

A first of its kind diagnostic campaign screened more than 60 children for congenital heart diseases in the city of Tarija.

Surgery Resumes: Safety for Patients and Medical Staff Our Top Priority

Operating in this pandemic poses greater risks to patients, and to their medical teams in the operating room. And yet, care must continue. As surgeries resume in our programs, safety is our top priority.

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