A-BE-C recently presented its Richard W. Grady Humanitarian Award to Dr. William Reiner, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Urology. The distinguished award was presented during the 2023 International Exstrophy Conference in Seattle, WA, by Dr. Paul Merguerian. The award honors those who have elevated the standards of care for children born with the rare medical condition of bladder exstrophy. Dr Reiner, a world-renowned Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, spent his career focused on the psychological aspects of bladder exstrophy. 

About Dr. William Reiner

For nearly 50 years, Dr. Reiner has specialized in research and care of the developmental aspects of children and adolescents with bladder exstrophy and those intersex conditions. He has worked with over 600 bladder exstrophy patients in research and clinical care. 

Dr. Reiner trained in Adult and Pediatric Urology at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, working with children, adolescents, and adults with bladder exstrophy and other complex urological birth anomalies beginning in 1976. He also trained in Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, again working with exstrophy patients. Dr. Reiner was on the faculty at the Johns Hopkins Hospital full-time until 2003 and then moved to part-time until retiring in 2016. From 2003 to 2016, he also was on the faculty at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center as a full professor, retiring in 2016 as a Professor Emeritus. He has authored numerous research articles and textbook chapters and led dozens of group panels with teens and young adults, discussing issues they struggle with while growing up, such as gym, sports, dating and privacy issues. Dr. Reiner now consults with physicians treating bladder exstrophy and patients and their parents and serves on the A-BE-C Advisory Board.  

Known for his infectious smile and warm hugs, Dr. Reiner is always surrounded by the children and adults he has helped. When asked to summarize his career, he shared, “By far, the favorite part of my job has been volunteering with A-BE-C at the annual meetings,” which he has done for over 25 years. 

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.