Lenni
Thirty-year-old Lucy gave birth to her second child, a boy she named Lenni, in January 2023 in the central Bolivian town of Villa Tunari. The hospital discharged Lenni without noting any special health concerns, but Lucy quickly noticed something was off. When Lenni was two weeks old, the local municipal hospital performed x-rays and an EKG, leading to a diagnosis of heart wall malformations and severe mitral valve insufficiency. The infant was transferred to the public children’s hospital in Cochabamba while specialists in the city were consulted regarding surgical treatment options. Lenni was in and out of the pediatric unit several times over the next weeks, including a period in the PICU to be treated for pneumonia.
While Lucy stayed with Lenni in the city, her family back home spiraled into crisis. Lenni’s father, an occasional construction worker, decided the situation was too difficult and told Lucy he would not support them. In the meantime, Lenni’s four-year-old sister was in the care of a paternal aunt back in Villa Tunari. Lucy desperately wanted to bring the kindergartner with her to Cochabamba, but was unable to leave Lenni’s bedside long enough to make the day-long trip. Lucy’s emotional state left her unable to follow the medical team’s explanations and make necessary decisions. The lead Puente de Solidaridad social worker, Marizol Mamani, was called in to help Lucy understand and follow the medical instructions for Lenni’s care and to assemble the resources and support she needed. Around mid-May, Lenni’s health stabilized sufficiently for the pediatric team to recommend proceeding to surgical intervention.
Thanks to Marizol’s close accompaniment and gentle counsel, by then Lucy had assimilated the situation well enough to understand and assume her responsibilities and to consent to surgery. Puente de Solidaridad identified funds though both the Goff Gift Fund and the German organization Herzverein to complement the minimal funds Lucy was able to contribute for the costly set of procedures. Lenni underwent surgery on May 15, recovering well enough to be discharged a week later. Marizol continues to support Lucy as she cares for her baby and works to rebuild her family.