April 9, 2025 | Caroline Jackson
At Project C.U.R.E., we often speak of our beginning. We share Dr. James Jackson giving up stability for passion and purpose. That story usually begins in his garage in Evergreen, Colorado. But we would be remiss if we didn’t highlight what inspired this—who inspired it. Meet Lorena, a Brazilian medical student in 1987, working part-time as a translator, well-versed in both English and Portuguese.
Dr. Jackson was sent to Brazil as an economist with letters of recommendation from U.S. Senator John McCain and Senator Bill Armstrong. Jackson worked closely alongside President José Sarney, and other key government leaders, sorting out Brazil’s three-thousand-percent inflation. Though he was fluent in foreign affairs, he was still struggling to learn Portuguese. Serendipity, fate, or a higher power made Lorena the missing piece in his arsenal.
Coming from a medical family, Lorena’s mother, Dr. Natalia, was one of the highest-rated gynecologists in São Paulo. Lorena’s sister was a dentist, and her fiancé, Dr. Paulo, was renowned for his work in infectious diseases. Not only was the family destined to heal—they were compelled to give.
Lorena and Heads of Medical University in Brazil
Inviting Dr. Jackson to shadow hospital rounds, Lorena introduced him to what medical systems can look like in underserved communities. “How could Lorena’s family successfully practice medicine with archaic equipment? Didn’t they have anything new or high-tech, as they did in the United States?” Jackson questions in his book, The Happiest Man in the World.
Soon, he would learn about the free services Lorena and her family provided to people in Brazilian favelas. Recalling the structures made out of sheet metal and cardboard, Jackson followed Lorena into places the Brazilian police force couldn’t brave to see.
“As I looked around, I realized I was completely engulfed by abject poverty,” says Jackson in The Happiest Man in the World. “I felt a lump in my throat when I realized that these people had no one other than volunteer doctors to help them. No one else in the world was even taking notice of their fevers and pain. What amazed me was that Paulo and Lorena could do so much good with the few things we had carried into the favela that day. They really had made a startling difference.”
Days later, Dr. Jackson met with Dr. Neves, a Brazilian healthcare provider, and promised to send back supplies. With no plan of “how,” Jackson was engulfed by the “why.”
After 37 years, 135+ countries, and over $1 billion in donated medical supplies, Dr. James Jackson and Dr. Lorena meet in Denver to admire Project C.U.R.E.’s headquarters. Walking the aisles of donated medical equipment in one of seven warehouses, the two reflect on the lasting impact they're making in Brazil and around the world.
March 12, 2025 — Dr. James Jackson stands with Dr. AnnaMarie Jackson, Dr. Lorena, and Dr. Paulo at Project C.U.R.E. headquarters in Denver, Colorado.
To Dr. Lorena—thank you for being a voice for those who are not heard. Thank you for inspiring change through compassion, purpose, and passion. The world could use more people like you, and we are grateful to call you family.
