Our greatest teachers often are patients and their family members. It is through their eyes and experiences that we can begin to understand the challenges patients face in accessing a safe and timely surgery. On a recent trip with our Neurosurgery & Neurology Institute (NNI), I was humbled to learn more about Paraguay’s health system and culture from one such person. 

The needs of surgical patients continue far beyond their time in the hospital. Many treated for conditions including birth defects, abdominal trauma, Chagas disease, or colon cancer may need to live temporarily or permanently with an ostomy. Increasing access to ostomy supplies is critical both for medical reasons and to preserve the dignity of patients.

How do we measure our work? We can count surgeries performed and medical supplies delivered, but what about our equally important work fostering relationships? The XXI Bolivian Congress of Neurosurgery in Santa Cruz reminded us of the power of relationships to improve access to safe and timely medical care.

Each year at our Fiesta gala, we honor one missioner who has gone above and beyond, exemplifying the spirit of solidarity that distinguishes our mission. Last month, our 2022 Solidarity Award was presented to general surgeon and ten-time missioner Dr. John Gregory.

Emilia traveled with three of her four children from her home in Monteagudo, Bolivia, to the city of Sucre, seeking treatment for epilepsy. It was an eight-hour trip on mostly unpaved roads, but the children knew the journey was necessary to improve their mother’s health.

An estimated 70% of those who suffer epilepsy in Latin America and the Caribbean lack access to care. As we travel on mission and speak to dedicated local doctors, we know that these are not just statistics.

Our neurosurgical partnerships in Paraguay began only five years ago, but in that time we’ve shared many ideas that evolved into joint plans to improve the health and quality of life for patients in need of neurosurgical care. This week, it was our great joy to see so many of these ideas concretized.

Paraguay is characterized by its land-locked isolation, and this isolation was exacerbated over the past two years by the COVID-19 pandemic. That context has made it especially rewarding to take strides in solidarity with our Paraguayan colleagues – implementing unified plans for mutual collaboration around common goals.

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

For years, patients seeking surgeries in Cochabamba’s public hospitals have languished on months-long waiting lists. The situation is especially dire now. Our mission team will assist in over a dozen surgeries to help alleviate the crushing demand.

Valentine’s Day imagery takes our minds to the patients of our Kids Heart Program. In 2021, 37 children and young adults received cardiac surgery through our program. Here are just two stories that will warm your heart today. We share them with immense gratitude for all of our donors, staff, and medical partners who together make these surgeries possible.

Sr. Zenobia traveled two weeks by canoe to distribute medical supplies to health service outposts in 18 communities she serves in the TIPNIS, a Bolivian region protected for its biodiversity and as the homeland of multiple native communities. She recently shared a video clip and photos she took to document the distribution.