During their visit, the Bolivian team met with members of Lurie’s chaplaincy and social work departments for a powerful exchange focused on integrated, compassionate care for pediatric patients and their families. They were hosted in part by Jim Manzardo, Lurie chaplain and longtime volunteer with Solidarity Bridge. Jim has traveled to Bolivia as a chaplain during Solidarity Bridge’s surgical missions, where he provides spiritual and emotional support to patients and families facing complex medical challenges—mirroring his compassionate work at Lurie. 

Social workers share how the coronavirus quarantine has impacted their work, the challenges our patients are living through, and their commitment to accompany those who suffer.

Bilingual medical students have made important contributions to our work, serving as interpreters for our mission teams. Amid the challenges of this global health crisis, we give thanks for their continued passion to provide healing care.

Just because our offices are closed does not mean our work has slowed down. Get a sneak peek of what it looks like for our colleagues in Bolivia to work remotely.

The 2019 Oncological Surgery Mission Trip concluded in Santa Cruz on April 13. As with everything we do, it took an untold numbers of individuals and institutions working in solidarity to make this mission trip possible.