Diana
Diana, 14, lives with her mother, stepfather, and 2-year-old half-sister in a precarious rented home located in the far outskirts of Cochabamba, Bolivia. Her mother earns about $45 dollars a month cleaning homes, while her stepfather brings home around $170 as a bricklayer. Diana was very close to her biological father, and fell into severe depression upon the separation of her parents. The family’s instability and poverty resulted in little attention directed to Diana’s emotional and physical needs, which also include severe tooth decay. In that context, no action was taken when, over several months, Diana complained of headaches, shortness of breath, and chest pain when she physically exerted herself during gym class at school. It took a trip to the emergency room for the family to realize that Diana’s life was at risk if they did not come together and get her the help she needed.
Diana was diagnosed with a significant ventricular septal defect, which had placed chronic strain on her heart and lungs. If detected in infancy, it may have been possible to patch her heart wall with a simpler procedure, but now she would need open heart surgery. Diana’s paternal aunt stepped in to help her mother seek support and manage the complex process to schedule and pay for Diana’s surgery. Additional extended family members and friends got together to make and sell food to raise funds to cover extra expenses. The wide circle of solidarity that formed around Diana at this delicate juncture in her life helped her not only improve her physical health, but also feel loved and supported, greatly improving her emotional stability.
Two months after her surgery, Diana is doing well and is back at school.