Tell us about where you currently live (city/country) and how you ended up in this location.

My city of work is Uberlândia/MG/Brazil, in the interior of Brazil. I have lived here for over 30 years, when I entered medical school and continued working as a doctor and gynecologist.

Tell us about your work - your job title, where you work, how long you've worked in the field, areas of focus or research, etc.

I am Bachelor’s in Medicine, Specialization-Medical Residence in Gynecology and Obstetrics, Master's in Health’s Sciences by Federal University of Uberlandia (UFU), MG Brazil. Doctorate in Health's Sciences by Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil. Collaborator in the Urogynecology and Vaginal Surgery area from the Department of Gynecology (UNIFESP), where I have been following medical education in Urogynecology since 2015 until nowadays. I have been working as a Urogynecologist for around 10 years.

When and why did you decide to join IUGA?

I became interested in the area of ​​female Urology and started following the female Urology service at the hospital in my city in the 2005s, when slings arrived in our region. Then I felt the need to go to a specialized service to improve technique and protocols in the area of ​​Urogynecology. I joined the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP) with a postgraduate degree in Urogynecology and Vaginal Surgery and a Doctorate in Medicine in 2015 and I remain linked to research and protocols to this day. At UNIFESP they introduced me to IUGA and I identified myself. The opportunity to learn at IUGA with the most renowned names in the world in Urogynecology is indescribable.

What has been your most rewarding or memorable IUGA experience?

I had several wonderful experiences at IUGA. I participated at the IUGA 48th Annual Meeting, The Hague, The Netherlands (2023); IUGA 47th Annual Meeting, Austin, TX – USA, as an in-person participant (2022); IUGA 45th and 46th Annual Meeting (virtual 2020 and 2021); AUGS/IUGA 44th Annual Meeting, Nashville, TN, United States (2019); IUGA 43rd Annual Meeting, Vienna, Austria (2018); IUGA 42nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, Canada (2017), some of them with presentation of abstracts. Unfortunately, I believe that it will not be possible to participate in the meeting in Singapore (2024) due to financial resources, logistics and distance from Latin America. However, I am already preparing to participate in Barcelona in 2025.
I have been participating in the IUGA Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) committee chapter 1 (incidence and prevalence), ERAS AUGS/IUGA writing group (Research & Development Committee) and Mixed Urinary Incontinence since 2019.
I met in person, attended classes, talked, took photos, had lunch with honored names that were from my virtual PUBMED, was like a dream, such as Dr Ranee Thakar, Pallavi Latthe, Aparna Hedge, John O DeLancey and some other names. Incredible! Very enriching and honorable experience.

What is the last book you read or movie you saw? Would you recommend it?

Movies: Before sunset; Good House (with Sigourney Weaver) and Close (paints touching portrait of young male intimacy).
Book: Spiritist book that involves the beautiful and dramatic love story lived by a French soldier and a German woman during the Second World War, the name is in Portuguese ( my native language: Entre o Amor e a Guerra or "Between Love and War" - author: Zibia Gaparetto). I like books from Laura Scott (Crystal Lake Series).

What are your hobbies? What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I like spending time with my children, playing the piano and taking care of my plants. I think that´s important to say I love to study English. I have a major barrier in speaking English. I have had more training since I was a teenager in reading, listening and writing. However, I have important limitations in everyday speech and pronunciation in English, as it is my second language.

What is one "fun fact" about you?

I had a funny incident at IUGA. My colleague Maria Bortolini won an award in Nashville but didn't have a photo presentation. In her simplicity and authenticity, she was very honored but very discreetly and did not comment to the Brazilian team. I saw the prize in her hand, similar to a small painting, and asked where she had bought it. Then she explained to me that it was not a Walmart product, but an award to recognize her work at IUGA. And I admire her a lot, so I celebrated it as if it were mine and, despite Maria's discretion and against her wishes, I organized a fake award ceremony. So, none other than Dr. Dudley Robinson was nearby when I asked him to take a photo with her presenting the award to show in Brazil. They laughed a lot, took the photo and here in Brazil it looked like a perfect Oscar ceremony.