Sara
Sara is the youngest of two daughters of Stacy and Raul. She was born with Down Syndrome along with a number of heart malformations common among Down patients. Doctors told the family that Sara would need surgery when she was a few years older, and in the meantime they suggested the family move from their home in Oruro, Bolivia (elevation 12,300 feet) to a lower altitude to make it easier for Sara to breathe. Stacy took the baby to live in Cochabamba, leaving Sara’s 14-year-old sister with their grandparents to not disrupt her schooling. Raul works in construction, specializing in aluminum carpentry. He is currently completing a contracted job in Oruro and traveling to Cochabamba on the weekends to be with his wife and toddler.
Sara is a happy and energetic child, and her health appeared stable once they settled in Cochabamba. But on March 3, 2023, Stacy rushed Sara to the hospital after she fainted and fell down the stairs. An EKG revealed that Sara’s heart surgery was now urgent to patch a hole between her lower heart chambers and complete other repairs. Her condition was further evaluated by two Solidarity Bridge partner heart surgeons, Dr. Carlos Brockmann and Dr. Paola Rodriguez, who agreed to perform the surgery together on April 10.
The surgery went well, and Sara was discharged after four days to continue her recovery at home under the close eye of Stacy, who worked as a nurse before giving up her job to take care of Sara. As Stacy told the Puente de Solidaridad social worker: “I left everything in Oruro … we are capable of any sacrifice for our daughter.” During the social worker’s follow-up call with Stacy five weeks after the surgery, Sara was recovering well, continuing to be a source of light and joy for her grateful parents.