A love affair that got me close to a great doctor

I am blissfully married and a proud mother to three young men. My husband Leo knows that I am also engaged in another love affair, a sweet and enduring one. And he approves, so do my sons.

This love affair is with research, and it started during my pediatric residency training. I can still remember vividly the excitement and the long nights, the discovery of meaningful developments, the joy of reading medical journals, the eagerness to prepare something thorough and relevant. The excitement I felt continued up to my postgraduate internship, my fellowship in infectious diseases and it has lasted till now. My husband was never jealous and my relationship with my sons never soured despite this other ongoing and never-ending love affair. I could not ask for more. This is the best life.

So last May 23, the family accompanied me to Vigan, Ilocos Sur, to attend the 107th annual convention hosted by the Philippine Medical Association (PMA). Being included as one of the 15 finalists for the coveted Dr. Jose P. Rizal Memorial Awards is a proud moment for my family. With them around, I was the proudest wife, mom and doctor.

While individual citations were being read on stage for the top awardees for Community Leadership (Dr. Purisima A. Bueno), Government Service (Dr. Maria Victoria M. Abesamis), Clinical Practice (Dr. Bonaleth M. De Vera) and Academe (Dr. Estrella B. Paje-Villar), I never expected that the final citation was all about the fruits of my other love affair, with research.

“Lead investigator for the much-awaited clinical trials on the multivalent dengue vaccine…” “repeatedly cited by researchers here and abroad…” “served as the springboard for the Expanded Program of Immunization (EPI) of the Department of Health…” “provided the evidence and the science…” “extended her work to the communities…” “greater things to come that will benefit science, medicine and the Filipino people…” “epitomizes the virtues of Dr. Jose P. Rizal…” “…love of country and service to our countrymen…” All these brought me back to the past 30 years of my medical, family and community life.

My love affair with research did not happen overnight. It was a journey that began with a case presentation as a first-year pediatric resident, and a prospective study on how to prevent early jaundice in newborns. My recommendation that a nursery should always be facing the direction the sun rises so that a newborn can benefit from exposure to morning sunlight won the top prize for the hospital’s annual research competition. This did not happen once. It was a back-to-back win for three straight years. I got hooked. Who would not be? Year 1991 was my first immersion in dengue research. Twenty-three years later, I am now the lead investigator of the country’s clinical trials for dengue vaccine, in the countries where dengue is a major public health problem. It’s a vaccine the medical community worldwide is waiting for.

In Vigan, the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) bore witness to the conferment of the award. The title comes with a specially designed trophy in the image of Dr. Jose P. Rizal by National Artist Napoleon V. Abueva, a gold medallion, free trip to the United States to attend the convention of the American Academy of Family Physicians and P150,000 worth of medicines that I can share with a civic organization of my choice. 

Was it just a coincidence or pure fate that it is also the 23rd year of the presentation of the prestigious Dr. Jose P. Rizal Memorial Awards? If the number “23” is a coincidence, what a joyful one. If this is destiny, let me accept it with gratitude.

This award is a fitting tribute to those who have encouraged and inspired me to continue my love affair with research — participants and their families as well as my teams in clinical trials, officials of the local health, school and government units, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, collaborators/ partners and sponsors of my researches, Basaynon Katiguban, Inc. and my town mates in Basey, Samar, who continue to show resiliency despite the tragedy during the super typhoon Yolanda, the Philippine Pediatric Society and Manila Medical Society for the recognition of my works and the nomination.

For more than three decades, I have never felt happier and accomplished than when doing medical research. It is tiring but exciting, demanding yet humbling, intimidating but empowering, exacting yet fulfilling. My work is my loving tribute to a great Filipino and a fellow doctor, Jose P. Rizal, MD.

* * *

Dr. Rose Zeta Capeding is the 23rd Dr. Jose P. Rizal Memorial Awardee for Research. She is currently the head of the Microbiology Department of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) and head of the Dengue Research Group. She is the head, Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Asian Hospital and Medical Center.