The patients who inspire us
Written by Jodi Grahl
On our Oncological Surgery Mission Trip last month, we developed mutually-enriching relationships with the Cancer Institute of Eastern Bolivia’s young doctors, nurses and other professionals who gained hands-on experience and built their confidence through the mentorship of our experienced physicians. We also demonstrated and implemented the use of specialized instruments and supplies, which the Institute and its professionals may access through our local warehouse managed by Puente de Solidaridad. The intense partnership effort greatly enhanced the knowledge and skills of our missioners and staff as well.
But alongside our training goals, the daily work of Solidarity Bridge always comes back to serving the needs of the patient in front of us. Each patient comes to us seeking a source of hope and, whenever possible, a source of healing. Each brings a unique story, and it is a gift for us to be invited to be a part of it. For both our patients and ourselves, these encounters can be fraught with heartache, but are often also a source of great joy, and a confirmation that every small act in promotion of the common good makes a tangible impact in the world.
Our March trip began and ended with invitations to visit patients in their homes and to hear from them directly about the impact of surgery on their lives.
Malcolm was delighted to find his 2023 patient, Mirko, fully recovered and enjoying life with his family.
On our first day in Santa Cruz, surgeon Malcolm Bilimoria, interpreter Helena Donley, and chaplain Megan Kennedy-Farrell, accompanied by Puente de Solidaridad staff Marcela Canedo, Desireé Méndez and Carmen Salses, visited a patient who benefitted from surgical care a year earlier on our 2023 trip to the Cancer Institute. Mirko, just 29-years-old, needed surgery for an unusual type of tumor located at the junction of his small intestine and stomach. He had undergone multiple blood transfusions over the previous months due to hemorrhaging caused by the tumor, and was unable to work. His wife took on long shifts as a bank teller to support the couple and their two young sons. Mirko’s mother, Teresa, who for years had resided in Chile where she sold snacks to tourists along coastal beaches, came home to take care of him, giving up her own income while adding to household expenses. The family was desperate for a solution. They had been quoted $20,000 dollars for the delicate surgery to remove the tumor and repair Mirko’s digestive tract. It was an impossible amount for a humble family that works hard to cover daily necessities. When the Cancer Institute was selecting patients for treatment during our 2023 mission, they referred Mirko to Puente de Solidaridad social worker Carmen. Carmen confirmed Mirko’s eligibility for assistance, and passed the medical file along to Dr. Bilimoria and the rest of the medical team, who agreed to operate alongside the local team.
In addition to providing Mirko’s urgently-needed treatment, the March 2023 surgery offered an important opportunity for Dr. Bilimoria to demonstrate advanced techniques to surgical residents at the Cancer Institute. The tumor was successfully removed while preserving gastrointestinal function, and Mirko was discharged a week later. Carmen stayed in touch with the family and updated us on Mirko’s recovery as he gradually reintroduced food, under the close monitoring of local surgical resident Dr. Cecilia Padilla.
A year later, Mirko and his family were overjoyed to receive Malcolm and the rest of the visitors in their home. Teresa, who is back to her job on the beach in Chile, joined the get-together by FaceTime to thank Malcolm for his part in restoring her son’s health and his future. Mirko and his brother offered delicious cake and drinks and the spirit in their front room took on the feel of an extended family birthday party, full of tears of gratitude and so much joy!
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Six days later, on the final day of our mission trip, we were honored with another invitation. Zonia, 48, had charmed us all the moment she walked into the exam room Monday morning. When asked to confirm the spelling of her name, she responded with a grin and a giggle, “With a Z, like Zorro!” After the Bolivian and US surgical team explained her procedure, when asked if she had any questions, Zonia again flashed her mischievous grin and struck a pose before asking if the doctors could slim down her tummy, prompting universal laughter.
Zonia’s Tuesday surgery was a full success, and she was discharged the following day to complete her recovery at home under the loving care of her husband, Gustavo. Their daughter, America, surprised us at the mission’s closing ceremony on Friday when she stood up to read a letter hand-written that morning by Zonia. The letter is translated as follows:
Good and blessed day. Thanks be to God for gifting us this beautiful dawn.
I want to give thanks from the bottom of my heart to:
Dr. Malcolm Bilimoria … An excellent professional and a jovial, happy person with his patients, wonderful hands for surgeries.
Dr. Renan Mena, Bolivian surgeon … A very special person of noble heart.
Dr. Andrew Curtis, anesthesiologist ... An angel with special hands to help us not feel pain.
Thank you, a thousand times thank you. May God bless you in every way. You are our angels in white [coats]. With all my affection and respect, your patient:
Zonia …To [Puente de Solidaridad] and all the people who accompanied us: professionals, friends - infinite blessings.
With gratitude and affection from all our family. THANK YOU.
By the time America finished reading Zonia’s letter, there was not a dry eye in the hospital chapel. After the ceremony concluded, our team agreed that we could not leave Bolivia without personally thanking Zonia and her family for such a touching tribute, so we accepted an invitation to their home on the outskirts of the city before returning to our hotel to pack for the long trek home.
The mission team with Zonia and Gustavo (seated) outside their home. Standing from left to right: Helena Donley, interpreter; Dr. Nicole Fuentes, local volunteer interpreter (holding Zonia’s puppy, Milagros); Megan Kennedy-Farrell, chaplain; Allie Zern, PA; Dr. Malcolm Bilimoria, surgeon; Dr. Andrew Curtis, anesthesiologist; Jodi Grahl, trip leader; and Carmen Salses, Puente de Solidaridad social worker.
We are truly grateful to each of our patients and their families—for placing their trust in us and for allowing us to accompany them through some of life’s most challenging moments. They are our source of inspiration and of hope for a future with equitable access to care for all.