Zenaida

Zenaida is a 16 year old girl who lives with her parents and siblings in the rural town of Capinota, Bolivia. Her family became more and more concerned as Zenaida began feeling sick. She increasingly suffered from fainting spells after which she did not recognize members of her family. Over time, she also was unable to move her legs and arms, and became increasingly forgetful. For a brilliant high school student, this was worrisome. Fausto and Cristina, Zenaida’s parents, took her to see different doctors in Capinota who were unable to determine what was happening to their girl. They decided to make the long trip to Cochabamba, where Zenaida was referred to cardiologists Dr. Gabriel Echazú and Dr. Carlos Brockmann.

After examining Zenaida and all the diagnostic tests, Dr. Brockmann concluded she had a large tumor on the left atrium of her heart. Apparently, the cardiac tumor was causing neurologic embolic events that produced the fainting spells and her mobility impairment. Zenaida needed urgent surgery to remove this cardiac tumor.

Fausto and Cristina were feeling guilty for not treating Zenaida sooner and were deeply concerned for her long term prognosis if the surgery could not be performed soon. It had taken them a while to get a bank and personal loan to travel with Zenaida to Cochabamba to see specialist doctors and run all the diagnostic exams she needed. They never imagined that Zenaida would need urgent surgery and thus would need even more money to cover these costs. Fausto is a carrot and onion farmer, who sells his produce in Capinota, and occasionally in the city. Zenaida’s parents did not know how they were going to get the resources for Zenaida’s surgery.

At ProSalud, someone referred them to the Fundación Puente de Solidaridad. Both parents arrived at Puente de Solidaridad in search of hope. After a thorough study of Zenaida’s case and a socio-economic evaluation of the family, Marizol Mamani, Puente’s social worker in Cochabamba, gave them the good news that Zenaida could be a beneficiary of the Heart Program.

Zenaida’s tumor of the left atrium of her heart was fully removed on January 10, 2019. She was released from ProSalud Hospital four days later, and is expected to make a complete recovery. Zenaida is also working on occupational therapy to address some of the consequences of the embolic episodes. Thanks to all of the support from her family, local doctors, Puente de Solidaridad and Dharma Social Projects, Zenaida is expected to lead a long and healthy life.

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