Sometimes, to get attention, you need to throw the first stone, far away, to the side. It can be perceived as an alien attack rather than a bridge anchor. But when you add a seed of enthusiasm, you may successfully begin to build a beautiful bridge. At first, it may be as unstable as a small wooden platform, but with care, it will become a firm stone bridge that can bear a lot and is hard to dismantle.

 

It is crucial to stand on this bridge for a while to ensure the traffic flows both ways and that there aren’t too many crashes— which occur almost every week, believe me. Learn from it, instead building barriers. Remember, when you experience such a stone thrown your way - this may be the beginning of a new brigde.

 

The best moment comes when it all "works," and you can sit at the edge of the bridge and watch the traffic undisturbed every day. Those who know me a little understand how happy I am to see prenatal chromosomal microarray or WGS integrated into routine diagnostic for pregnancies undergoing invasive prenatal testing at Erasmus MC. All done not by one person but thanks to the excellent cooperation of many disciplines: fetal medicine specialist, laboratory technologists, genetic counselors, laboratory specialists in clinical genetics, psychologists, ethicistis...

 

Is my job finished? Not at all. There are many more bridges to build, as there are countless patients who can be helped and genomic technology developes faster than you think. I continuously keep throwing stones and seeds of enthusiasm here and there. There are still many small and large bridges to construct.

 

I am often seen as an invasive and loud individual, stubbornly pursuing something that many cannot recognize before it is completed. I’m the one dancing at lunch breaks yet rushing through the corridors. The one asks difficult questions and makes politically incorrect comments, doubting current standards and challenging those who think they know better. But those who know me well see the goal behind it - new bridge is coming. All it takes is to start, to dare to ask difficult question, set the goal, and never forget: one step forward, two backward, one forward is not a failure; it’s a cha-cha-cha.

 

If you’re curious about where the next bridge will lead you, keep visiting my page. I have only one warning: this page may never be completed, and you may see things you haven't expected - be aware of of genomic surprise - unexpected diagnosis/ incidental finsings are not avoidable. But life begins at the edge of your comfort zone!