Rodri
Rodri lives with his older brother and parents in the city of Cobija located in the Amazon rainforest region of northern Bolivia. When he was born, his parents were stunned to learn Rodri had Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome) as well as a heart murmur. Doctors suggested that the cardiac issue might resolve on its own, but it only worsened over time. His mother, Carla, noticed that his heart seemed to beat excessively when Rodri played or was active in any way, and he struggled to breathe. She took him to La Paz to see a specialist when he was six months old, but the high altitude made him struggle even more. She later traveled across the country to Santa Cruz to consult specialists there. Pediatric cardiologists in both cities confirmed that Rodri was underweight and failing to thrive, most likely because of his heart malformations that required surgical repair. Carla’s job as a secretary at the local municipal council provides the family’s health insurance through the “Caja Nacional” healthcare network, but no Caja hospital performs the needed surgery. Unfortunately, Carla’s salary and Rodri’s father’s occasional income as a bricklayer were insufficient to pay for surgery in a private hospital.
Rodri lives with his older brother and parents in the city of Cobija located in the Amazon rainforest region of northern Bolivia. When he was born, his parents were stunned to learn Rodri had Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome) as well as a heart murmur. Doctors suggested that the cardiac issue might resolve on its own, but it only worsened over time. His mother, Carla, noticed that his heart seemed to beat excessively when Rodri played or was active in any way, and he struggled to breathe. She took him to La Paz to see a specialist when he was six months old, but the high altitude made him struggle even more. She later traveled across the country to Santa Cruz to consult specialists there. Pediatric cardiologists in both cities confirmed that Rodri was underweight and failing to thrive, most likely because of his heart malformations that required surgical repair. Carla’s job as a secretary at the local municipal council provides the family’s health insurance through the “Caja Nacional” healthcare network, but no Caja hospital performs the needed surgery. Unfortunately, Carla’s salary and Rodri’s father’s occasional income as a bricklayer were insufficient to pay for surgery in a private hospital.