A-BE-C recently presented its Richard W. Grady Humanitarian Award to Dr. Joao Luiz Pippi Salle, Professor of Urology, SickKids Hospital and Co-Director of the Center for Pelvic Reconstruction. The distinguished award was presented during the 2024 International Exstrophy Conference in Milwaukee, WI, by Pamela Artigas, A-BE-C’s Executive Director. The award honors those who have elevated the standards of care for children born with the rare medical condition of bladder exstrophy. Dr. Salle, a world-renowned pediatric urologist, has traveled to more than 40 countries, treating bladder exstrophy patients and sharing his knowledge with other pediatric surgeons. 

About Dr. Joao Luiz Pippi Salle, MD, PhD, FAAP, FRCPSC

Joao Luiz Pippi Salle MD, PhD, FAAP, FRCPSC is a Professor at the Division of Urology, SickKids Hospital and Co- Director of the Center for Pelvic Reconstruction. He was the former Chief of Urology of the Montreal Children’s Hospital, Toronto Sick Kids Hospital in Canada and Sidra Medicine in Doha, Qatar. Dr. Salle is a pediatric urologist with special interest in genito-urinary reconstruction. 

He is an innovative surgeon who developed new techniques for the correction of urinary incontinence, disorders of sex development, hypospadias, exstrophy/epispadias complex and UPJ obstruction. He has published 180 papers in peer reviewed journals and 55 book chapters. He was a visiting professor in 40 countries and associated editor of the textbook Clinical Pediatric Urology, one of the most prestigious in the specialty. He is an accomplished teacher having received several teaching awards at University of Toronto and McGill University, in Canada. He was the inaugural Women’s Auxiliary Chair of Urology at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto and is proud of having trained many of the world leading pediatric urologists. In 2019 he received the Life Achievement Award by the World Federation of Pediatric Surgeons (WOFAPS) in recognition for his academic contributions to pediatric urology worldwide.

Dr. Salle is part of the US-India Bladder Exstrophy Collaborative which commenced in 2009 as a consortium bringing together leading U.S. and Canada based children’s hospitals partnering with one of the largest public hospitals in Asia to provide medical services at Civil Hospital-Ahmedabad, India. Patients from the region with BEEC receive the full spectrum of care with international and Indian surgeons during this workshop and provided education, peer support, and advocacy interventions in addition to their surgical or medical interventions. In addition, Dr. Salle serves on A-BE-C’s esteemed medical advisory board, consulting with physicians and patients worldwide. When asked what drives him, Dr. Salle affectionally answered, “It’s the patients and their families. Receiving this award from them, is the most special.” 

About the Richard W. Grady Humanitarian Award

Named for the late Dr. Richard W. Grady of Seattle Children’s, an internationally known expert and humanitarian known for inspiring and leading initiatives to reduce world suffering related to the condition of bladder exstrophy, the Richard W. Grady Humanitarian Award is given to recognize the work of others with this same spirit. The award, established in 2018, honors individuals for their outstanding humanitarian and volunteer work to improve the health of those affected by bladder exstrophy. Award recipients are individuals who exemplify the highest value of leadership, excellence in clinical care and research, innovation, teaching, volunteerism, advocacy, and dedication to improving the health of those living with bladder exstrophy around the world.