Solidarity Bridge was started in 1999 by Juan Lorenzo Hinojosa, a Doctor of Theology who was born in Bolivia and currently lives in Chicago, as a missionary outreach to provide medical care to the poor of Bolivia.  By some estimates, Bolivia is the second poorest country in the Americas, and is challenged not only by this economic disadvantage, but also by unique cultural traditions that have led to further disenfranchisement of the poor.  As a result, infectious diseases that would not typically be a major concern in the more developed countries of the region are a significant cause of illness and death in Bolivia.  These include advanced rheumatic disease affecting the valves of the heart, which is the major focus of this particular mission, such exotic illnesses such as Chagas’ disease, which can also affect the heart, and the less exotic, but equally dangerous human papilloma virus, which is the underlying cause of most cases of cervical cancer, the leading cause of cancer death in Bolivia.

Please read further to learn more, not only about our brief mission in Santa Cruz, but also about these and other challenges in Bolivia, and especially the many fine people in Bolivia with which we enjoyed a memorable fellowship during our stay.

Christopher C. Peters, MD