Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics student establishes nonprofit, changing lives in Bolivia

When Renata Lopez saw orphanages in her hometown of La Paz, Bolivia, struggling to afford basic necessities for their babies during the COVID-19 pandemic, she decided to act. What began as a small effort to help a few local families quickly grew to a nationwide initiative that continues to expand each year.

Lopez, a student in the Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics program at the WVU School of Medicine, is the founder of Nappy, a nonprofit dedicated to providing diapers to children in orphanages in Bolivia.

“Between 2020 and 2024, Bolivia had approximately 5,600 to 7,000 children living in care centers,” Lopez said. “These children face abandonment, mistreatment, orphanhood and many other social challenges.”

Lopez began Nappy in 2022 with a goal to help a few local orphanages in La Paz, but since then, the organization has grown, collecting more than 45,000 diapers nationwide.

Lopez says her experience in the BLD program has played a key role in strengthening her confidence and her capacity to lead a growing nonprofit.  

“My experience with the School of Medicine so far has been amazing,” Lopez said. “Since BLD is a smaller major, it’s easy to really connect with professors. Meeting them one-on-one is simple, and they take the time to answer questions and offer guidance. They genuinely want to see their students succeed. Being part of this environment has not only strengthened my academic foundation but has also made me feel confident and excited about the future I’m building in healthcare.”

Students in the Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics program can choose two tracks, either medical laboratory sciences , where they train to discover the presence or absence of disease in blood and body fluids, or histotechnology, where they train to perform routine and complex procedures on tissue specimens that aid pathologists in determining the diagnosis, prognosis and best treatment for the patient.

Lopez is a student in the histotechnology track, which is one of only eleven programs offered in the United States.

While balancing her coursework and outreach work through Nappy can be challenging, Lopez says she finds daily motivation for her purpose in the community she has found at WVU.

“It can get stressful, but every day I remind myself that all of this is preparing me to help people in the future,” she said. “What keeps me motivated is the community I’ve found here at WVU. The School of Medicine really emphasizes outreach and service, and seeing my professors and classmates so dedicated to helping others inspires me to continue doing the same through Nappy.”

Lopez said that her long-term goal is to merge her knowledge in Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics with her nonprofit work to bring advanced health care and compassion to underserved communities.

“My vision is for the laboratory to go beyond science; it will be part of a bigger mission of service,” Lopez said. “By combining my education with my nonprofit, I hope to create a space that provides both medical advancement and human care. This journey in BLD is not just about my career; it’s about laying the foundation to make that dream of Nappy as a true refuge come to life.”

To learn more about this initiative and how you can become involved, visit renatalopezamora.wixsite.com/nappy-angelitos.

Learn more about the Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics program at medicine.wvu.edu/biomedical-laboratory-diagnostics, or explore associated career pathways at go.health.wvu.edu/pre-health.