Sara
Sara is the youngest of three siblings in Cochabamba, Bolivia. From early on, she has suffered chronic health problems, including frequent colds and respiratory ailments. Her parents learned that these difficulties stemmed from congenital heart problems. Specifically, their baby girl had an atrial septal defect (ASD), a condition that produces abnormal beating of the heart and elevates the risk of stroke. For more than a year, the worried parents worked to scrape together the resources needed so that Sara could receive the treatment she needed – an ASD closure device surgically inserted into her heart. However, Sara’s father is a repair technician who earns a fluctuating wage that covers the family’s daily expenses but would not generate the savings needed for this important surgery.
But a solution was found. Dharma Social Projects and its partnership with Solidarity Bridge, the Puente de Solidaridad Foundation in Cochabamba paved the way. Dharma’s generous donation for the surgery produced a ripple effect, and the Belga Hospital in Cochabamba agreed to operate at a lower cost. Sara is now at home, celebrating new health with her family.