The Life-Saving Weaving of Bolivia’s Indigenous Women

In the high-altitude city of La Paz, Bolivia, rates of heart problems dwarf those of cities at sea level. But an unexpected partnership between medicine and art is helping address this problem. Doctor Franz Freudenthal is a pediatric cardiologist who created a device that fixes abnormal openings in the heart through a non-invasive procedure. But these tiny, intricate devices cannot be made by machine, so Freudenthal enlisted help from the country’s indigenous Aymara women. With their traditional weaving skills, they knit these life-saving devices by hand. It’s the perfect blend of technology and artistry.

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