Vocation and passion for saving lives
With passion and determination, Dr. Amary Yumar Díaz, neonatologist and paediatric cardiologist in Sancti Spíritus, makes a difference in saving lives.
- Español
- English
Amary Yumar Díaz always knew her path was destined for medicine. From an early age, her mother told her she would never play at anything besides being a doctor. With that conviction, she enrolled in the Eusebio Olivera Pre-University Vocational Institute in the province of Sancti Spiritus, aware that her academic destiny was marked by medicine.
The specialisation in neonatology came into her life thanks to the encouraging words of her husband. Since the very beginning, he saw the qualities of an excellent neonatologist in her. According to Amary, this decision became one of the best of her life. Since then, she has devoted herself to caring for newborns with passion and dedication at the Camilo Cienfuegos General Provincial Hospital in Sancti Spíritus.
Her interest in paediatric cardiology arose from an intense personal experience. The aortic valve replacement her father underwent was a turning point in her life. The commitment and professionalism she saw in the Che Guevara Cardiology Centre workers in Santa Clara inspired her to repay that debt. She decided to specialise in Cardiopaediatrics. In 2010, a year after graduating, she moved to the William Soler Hospital in Havana for training in this area.
Her day-to-day role as a neonatologist is complex and filled with unique challenges. As she puts it, “we navigate from one hurdle to the next,” each patient presenting a distinct set of obstacles. The country's economic situation adds another layer of difficulty. Yet, amidst these challenges, she underscores the authorities’ unwavering support and relentless pursuit of alternatives to ensure quality care.
With the support of the UNICEF Spanish Committee, thanks to the contribution of the Government of Extremadura, through the Extremadura Agency for International Development Cooperation (AEXCID), UNICEF Cuba strengthened 19 neonatology referral services that provide specialized care for low birth weight and extremely premature newborns. Through the procurement and distribution of incubators, thermal blankets and consumables, 9,962 high-risk newborns benefited from neonatal services in 2023.
One story in particular was etched in her heart: that of twin girls with Down's Syndrome. They were born at 35 weeks, during an Amary ward: “No one could believe that they both had chromosomal stigmata because it is very rare. Usually, one of the twins has stigmata, but in this case, it was clear that the clinical diagnosis did not fail, as both had transition disorders and murmurs,” said the doctor. “When we did the echocardiogram, both had heart disease. There were no more clinical doubts,” she acknowledged.
“We had to medicate them for the cardiopathies and, still, a great challenge remained: to accompany the family in their reaction. This stage was not difficult because they are a united family who loved them from the beginning,” she recalled.
Dr. Amary Yunar Díaz participated in the January 2024 meeting of provincial heads of the Maternal and Child Care Programme (PAMI, by its initials in Spanish). With the support of UNICEF Cuba, this meeting was a space for exchanging good practices and updating protocols for action among health professionals nationwide.
The shift of 31 December 2021 became the most difficult of the doctor’s career. The twins were struggling with respiratory failure, and she convened an interdisciplinary commission to face the challenge because there was no way to take them off the ventilator. With patience, dedication and love, they managed to nourish and recover the little girls, who were discharged with more than two months of life.
At that moment, the family promised to return to the hospital to celebrate the twins’ first year of life. They kept their promise. On that day, Amary found the greatest reward: the knowledge that, despite the challenges, her work as a neonatologist and paediatric cardiologist had made a difference in the lives of those who trusted her.
