One of my favorite parts of leading A-BE-C is the opportunity to spend time with the incredible medical professionals who dedicate their careers to caring for children and families around the world.
This weekend in Toronto was especially meaningful.
I had the pleasure of visiting The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), meeting the entire pediatric urology team in person and seeing firsthand the extraordinary expertise, dedication, and compassion that make this institution so remarkable.
Recently ranked the #1 children’s hospital in the world, SickKids has earned an international reputation for excellence. But what impressed me most wasn’t the ranking. It was the people behind it.
We’re also especially proud to recognize SickKids as one of A-BE-C’s newest designated Bladder Exstrophy Centers of Excellence. This designation recognizes the hospital’s commitment to providing specialized, multidisciplinary care for children and families affected by bladder exstrophy. It was a particular pleasure to visit the team in person and celebrate this important recognition together.
The weekend brought together colleagues from around the world for the International Children’s Continence Society (ICCS) Annual Congress, along with a very special celebration of the remarkable career of Dr. João Luiz Pippi Salle, affectionately known to so many of us as Pippi.
Pippi is not only one of the world’s most respected pediatric urologists but also a treasured friend of A-BE-C, a member of our Medical Advisory Board, and the recipient of our 2024 Richard W. Grady Humanitarian Award.
Read more about Pippi’s Humanitarian Award:
https://www.bladderexstrophy.com/dr-joao-luiz-pippi-salle-receives-2024-humanitarian-award/
What made this gathering particularly special was the number of familiar faces returning to the place where their careers were shaped.
Several members of A-BE-C’s Medical Advisory Board, including Dr. Pramod Reddy, Dr. Paul Merguerian, and Dr. Antoine Khoury, completed their pediatric urology fellowships at SickKids. Today, they are among the internationally recognized experts helping advance bladder exstrophy care.
Our own Emily Haddad also completed part of her social work training here. And we remember with great affection the late Barbara Neilson, a pioneering pediatric urology social worker and longtime A-BE-C board member, who devoted more than 30 years to supporting families at SickKids.
For so many, this weekend truly felt like coming home.
A special thank you to Dr. João Luiz Pippi Salle, Dr. Rodrigo Romao, Dr. Armando Lorenzo, and the entire SickKids urology team for their warm welcome and for the extraordinary work they do every day.
It is a privilege to be part of this international community, where professional relationships become lifelong friendships and a shared commitment to children and families brings us together, year after year.
Congratulations to Pippi on an extraordinary career, and thank you, SickKids, for a wonderful weekend