Mariluz didn’t pay much attention to her frequent headaches until she began to lose vision in her left eye. Her local doctor could not offer a diagnosis, and her condition continued to worsen.

She began to suffer falls, her vision was reduced to shadows, and eventually the fear of suffering an accident made it impossible for her to leave her home. Mariluz was only thirty-eight, but she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. She could no longer complete household chores, and was increasingly dependent on her husband, a street merchant, for assistance. She could not care for her aging mother, who suffered from Parkinson’s disease, and it hurt her to see her eldest son so concerned for her health.

Mariluz was finally diagnosed with a tumor on her pituitary gland. The surgery she needed had not been performed in Bolivia until its recent introduction by a Solidarity Bridge Neurosurgery Mission team. Mariluz was put under the care of U.S. missioner Dr. Moser and Bolivian partner surgeons, Dr. Arteaga and Dr. Moreno, at the San Juan de Dios public hospital in Santa Cruz. 

Following her surgery, Mariluz recovered her sight - and her life! She can once again care for her family, and she is most happy to return to her kitchen, where she can prepare meals without constant fear of cutting or burning herself. Best of all, she can see the faces of her loved ones and watch her children grow.