08/13/2025
Thank you, Dr. Lopez, for such a beautiful reflection on your experience at our conference. 🌟
We were truly honored to have you share your expertise, insights, and passion with our community. Your words and presence made a lasting impact, and we’re grateful for the inspiration you brought to the event.
"For over 20 years, I've presented in public without any problems, and... there I was: nervous, waiting next to the stage for Ted Lee to announce me. This time was different, and I didn't know why, since I frequently give talks. I even teach residents how to do it. Today, looking back, what was different …it was the audience.
This time, more than medical knowledge, the audience had experience; the experience of living day to day with a condition like Bladder Exstrophy. The Association for the Bladder Exstrophy Community had invited me to their annual meeting to talk with families and patients about our Exstrophy program at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital.
My anxiety, I understand now, was because it's not easy to try to deliver a meaningful message to entire families, taking into account what they experience. Clearly, this took me out of my comfort zone: the surgical treatment. However, once on stage, seeing their friendly faces and hearing their sincere questions, we sparked a great conversation in the room. From that human perspective, I was able to share my knowledge, trying to make a concrete contribution, and I think that's what made us connect.
Many thanks to Pamela Artigas and her team for the wonderful invitation and for their desire to continue working together on "Exstrophy with Compassion."
Por más de 20 años he presentado en público sin ningún problema, y… ahí estaba yo: nervioso, esperando al lado del escenario a que Ted Lee me anunciara. Esta vez era distinto y, no sabía por qué, ya que frecuentemente doy charlas. Incluso enseño a los residentes como hacerlo. Hoy, mirando atrás, lo distinto era la audiencia.
Esta vez el público, más que conocimiento médico, lo que tenía era experiencia; la experiencia de vivir día a día con una condición como lo es la Extrofia Vesical. La Association for the Bladder Exstrophy Community, me había invitado a su reunión anual para conversar junto a las familias y pacientes acerca de nuestro programa de Extrofia en Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital
Mi ansiedad, lo entiendo hoy, era porque no es fácil intentar dar un mensaje significativo a familias enteras, tomando en cuenta lo que experimentan. Claramente eso me sacaba de mi zona de confort, el tratamiento quirúrgico. Sin embargo, una vez arriba del escenario, al ver sus caras de amabilidad y al escuchar sus preguntas sinceras, logramos una gran conversación en la sala. Desde esa mirada humana, pude entregar mi conocimiento intentando ser un aporte de forma concreta, y creo que eso es lo que nos hizo conectar.
Muchas gracias a Pamela Artigas y su equipo, por tremenda invitación, y por las ganas de seguir trabajando juntos en “Extrofia con compasión”.
