Solidarity Bridge

?? Today, we give thanks for our global community of friends, patients, donors, and partners. Thank you for standing in solidarity with families in Bolivia and Paraguay who seek access to safe surgical and medical care. Your support transforms the lives of hundreds of patients each year, providing relief, joy, and renewed life to those who need it most. ?? You are a gift. Thank you. ??

Give the gift of renewed life to patients like Sarah by making a donation: https://buff.ly/3ZgtChF “Having another chance at life has made me appreciate what I have. I have so much I dream to do with my life and hope to help others as well. Thank you from my heart," shares 21-year-old Sarah, one of our heart ?? surgery patients from this past year. Read her full story and donate at: https://buff.ly/3ZgtChF Thank you for joining us in providing healing hope for so many families in Bolivia and Paraguay! ??

If you haven't already... Mark your calendar for Solidarity Bridge’s 2025 Gala! ??? Join us at the Chicago Botanic Garden on April 5th, 2025, for our annual Fiesta. Let’s grow our impact - Help make life-transforming surgery accessible to families in Bolivia and Paraguay! Tickets to go on sale in January 2025 (more to come). Learn more about how you can support this event and sponsorship opportunities at: https://buff.ly/3Cg6KWe We look forward to seeing you there! See less

Our Neurosurgery & Neurology Institute (NNI) program is in Sucre, Bolivia, this week leading the Neurotrauma medical mission. The week is jam-packed with multidisciplinary training, service, and research in collaboration with medical staff and students at the Santa Barbara hospital. This multi-year collaboration seeks to improve outcomes and care for patients with neurotrauma and neurological disorders through training in neuro anesthesia, spine surgery, neurorehabilitation, critical care, and research to understand the long-term impacts of care. Our US team includes 17 medical professionals and staff representing over 7 different institutions, all coming together for a common goal! Institutions represented include the University of Washington, the University of Colorado, the University of Pennsylvania, Oregon Health and Science University, the University of Massachusetts, UC Davis, and NeuroRestorative. A special thanks for medical equipment donations and practice models from @mizuho-osi and @anatomy-warehouse!

We're looking for a ENT cancer surgeon to join our next medical mission team! If you or someone you know has expertise in the surgical treatment of thyroid cancer as well as oral, larynx, and/or parotid gland cancers and would like to learn more about traveling with us to Bolivia on our next mission March 14-23, please visit https://buff.ly/4hCJYs3. Please share with your networks and help us spread the word! ??

As November is #Gratitute month, we have a special message to share from Executive Director, Ann Rhomberg, and Director of Development, Catherine Werner. Thank you to everyone that supported us during our 25th birthday month in October, as well as throughout this 25th anniversary year! You make all our work possible. Thanks to you, countless patients and their families in Bolivia and Paraguay have renewed health and hope for the future! ?? ?? ??

New #Blog ?? "As each team member shared, a common theme arose: we all seemed to find God’s grace in the people we had encountered. Whether they knew it or not, they were all helpers." Read more here:

New #Blog ?? "Too often, we overlook the fact that there is not only an economic barrier preventing patients from receiving care but also a time barrier. In many cases, the ability to take time off to heal is a luxury..." Read more here: https://buff.ly/3AnSUk4

Today, on Día de los Santos (All Saints' Day), we join with families in Bolivia and throughout the Americas in honoring the lives of beloved saints and family members who have passed. While traditions vary across regions, many create a home altar and visit gravesites, offering favorite foods, drinks, sweets, water, photos, flowers, and meaningful decorations. In Bolivia, one begins the celebration on All Saints Day at noon, and ends the celebration the next day on the Day of the Dead, also called "Mastakos". This day is a cherished occasion to remember, celebrate, and feel close to those we've loved and lost. ???? #AllSaintsDay #AllSoulsDay #DayoftheDead #diadelosmuertos #diadelossantos

Solidarity Bridge was deeply honored to join the dedicated medical team at ICO Hospital in Sucre, Bolivia, last week as part of a gynecologic cancer campaign. Together, we provided 15 women with critical surgical treatments and shared advanced surgical techniques and equipment, strengthening our long-term partnership with ICO. The week was filled with powerful stories—some heartbreaking, revealing the unique struggles faced by women who are often primary caregivers, yet too often go without care themselves. But amid these challenges, we also witnessed hope and resilience, as these surgeries offer women renewed dignity and a true second chance at life following a cancer diagnosis. This experience underscored the importance of preventive screening, as many patients arrived with more advanced cases of disease. Originally founded by a team of primarily female surgeons, the ICO Hospital remains committed to expanding access to cancer care by offering cancer screenings and education, bringing essential health services to the women who need them most.