Diego
When Neysa was seven months pregnant, a routine ultrasound revealed that her son would be born with coarctation of the aorta, a serious malformation in which the body’s main artery is constricted, reducing blood flow from the heart. The baby would need immediate surgery upon his birth. Doctors suggested Naysa travel abroad to give birth in a country that offered better treatment options, but that would be impossible for Naysa. The boy’s father had abandoned her and left the country himself, and Naysa relied on her elderly parents and her sisters: “Thank God I have the support of my family, who encourage me in every moment.”
Naysa continued to work in the family’s dairy shop until baby Diego was born on January 12, 2025, at the public Japonés Hospital in Santa Cruz. He was immediately placed in the NICU while arrangements were made for his surgery at the private INCOR Clinic, the only hospital in eastern Bolivia capable of attempting the needed repair. Diego underwent surgery at just 5 days old. He responded well and was discharged nine days later. Naysa relayed her appreciation to the Puente de Solidaridad social worker: “I am very grateful for everyone’s support. The only thing I wish for is that my son is healthy.”