Healthcare Access for Latin America on an F650GSD By Salvador Carlucci, #129754

February 4, 2007 Page 1 of 6    123456

The rough roads of Mexico mean a lot of time spent tightening the chain. (enlarge image)

This is not a story of heroic acts, but a story of personal struggles to fulfill a dream.

My dream was to explore the Latin America on a motorcycle and develop a deep understanding of the healthcare systems of the region. I want to use this experience to set up an organization that would increase healthcare access to those the needed the most - the poor.

The Rider
I was born in 1980 in Florence, Italy - the birth place of the Renaissance. At the age of four I moved with my family to Nicaragua, a country that was undergoing the Sandinista revolution.

For the next few years we traveled and lived between Italy and Nicaragua. It was then that I developed my love for traveling and different cultures. Most importantly it helped me to see the injustice and struggle that poor people face.

At the age of 13 I started illegally riding my sister's scooter around the narrow streets of Florence. The next year I made the Italian National Rowing team. The following years were filled with success at Italian Championships, numerous national and regional races, wining important international races and participating in the World Rowing Championship.

I gave up rowing to dedicate more time to my studies. In 2002 I graduated cum laude and several honors with a bachelor of science in chemistry and a minor in mathematics. Then I pursued a master's degree in business and biotechnology, which allowed me to secure a job after graduation and become a published author in the scientific journal, Nature.