Kiara
Kiara was born in the summer of 2017 to overjoyed parents and family members in the city of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. When a routine check-up revealed a heart murmur, however, Kiara’s parents wondered how they would support this new, little life. Kiara’s father lost his job earlier in the year, in a country where good jobs are hard to find. Kiara’s aunt currently supports the family with the small income she earns selling pastries in the local market. As pediatric cardiologists continued to study Kiara’s heart condition, they diagnosed the six-month old with an anomalous pulmonary venous connection and advised her parents to pursue corrective surgery. As friends and family prepared to celebrate the Christmas holiday, Kiara’s parents were focused on finding a way to help their infant daughter.
A caring pediatric cardiologist referred the family to Solidarity Bridge. Through the generous support of Dharma Social programs and the coordination of the Solidarity Bridge team in Santa Cruz, Kiara was able to undergo surgery to correct her congenital heart defect. As one year ends and another begins, Kiara goes home with the chance to live a full and healthy life and her family goes forward celebrating the gifts of life, family, and the kindness of strangers.