For the fifth year in a row Dr. J. R. Rajnherc has organised the annual Dr. Bryson pediatric symposium. It all started when Dr. Bryson was retired, reaching age 65, yet up until then none of the medical specialists has ever been honored while still well and alive, for his/her contributions to this island’s health and well-being. “For that reason,” says Rajnherc, “I decided to organise the first conference titled the Dr Bryson Pediatric Symposium, in honor of the retired, most-loved and most-respected pediatrician.”
The subject of the first conference, Childhood Obesity, was new since it had not really been addressed before, among local health-care providers. Held at Cas di Cultura the symposium was open to professionals as well as the general public, and it turned out to be an enormous succes with local and international speakers.
After that first symposium Rajnherc received many requests to repeat the effort in the following year, and was encouraged to organise it again, only this time focusing on healthcare professionals. Since then, the symposium has become a annual event which everyone looks forward too.
This year at the Marriott Aruba Resort more that 100 professionals came together on a Saturday. Themed “Something Old, Something New and Something Blue,” the conference topics included hematology, pediatric endocrinology, pediatric surgery, pediatric epidemiology, pediatric immunology and pediatric obesity with the opening ceremony graced by the presence of His Excellency the Minister of Health Dr Richard Visser.
On the program, Sickle Cell Crises with Dr. L. Rafael-Croes, Pediatrician , Aruba; Too Short, Too Tall with Dr. J. Rotteveel, Pediatric Endocrinologist, Amsterdam; Neonatal Screening with Dr I. Gerstenbluth, Clinical Epidemiologist, Curacao; ALTE with Dr .S. Lo-A-Njoe, Pediatric Cardiologist, Curacao, and after the lunch break Pediatric Surgery in Aruba with Dr A Ponson, Surgeon, Aruba; Vaccinations with Prof Dr J. Roord, Pediatrician, Amsterdam; Premature and Delayed Puberty with Dr J. Rotteveel, Pediatrician, Amsterdam and Childhood Obesity Update with Prof Dr. M. Kessler, Pediatrician, Texas USA .
At closing Dr J.R. Rajnherc explained he is stepping down from the organization yet the symposium will continue to take place as the torch has been passed to the younger generation. “The organisation of this annual event,” Rajnherc says, “has taken a very special place in my heart, as it is a great honor and pleasure to see so many of our collagues coming together on a Saturday convening to gain new, additional knowlegde how to care for kids. What started with a handful of people grew to a good-size conference attracting participants from Curacao and Bonaire. It is an event that I am very proud of, with two speakers from the Netherlands from the Academic Hospital of the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, two speaker from Curacao and one professor of pediatrics from Texas USA, as well as local specialists whom we are also very proud of,” he concludes.
Pictured here wrapping up the event of the day at dinner at Amazonia Churrascaria, Dr. Bryson, Dr. J. R. Rajnherc and their fellow symposium-goers.