A pediatric neurosurgeon, Heather Spader, MD, performs surgical procedure to deal with kids with situations affecting the mind, backbone, and nerves. She helps youngsters with mind and spinal twine tumors, craniosynostosis, epilepsy, hydrocephalus, Chiari malformations, and extra.
Get to Know a UVA Well being Kids’s Neurosurgeon
We requested Spader our 7 fast inquiries to get to know her higher.
1. What has most impressed and formed your strategy to affected person care?
Having members of the family which have been sick and within the hospital and watching the method, and, typically, watching the wrestle that they undergo to determine how one can make the system work and get the solutions that they want.

I understand how daunting the medical system will be, even once you perceive the medical system. Attempting to make that as straightforward as attainable for households is admittedly necessary.
2. What’s your favourite a part of your job?
I went into neurosurgery as a result of I like doing surgical procedure. So that’s naturally the favourite a part of my job.
The opposite factor I actually get pleasure from is seeing youngsters that are available with epilepsy and so they possibly have been seizing 5 or 10 occasions an hour, and so they stroll out of the hospital with none seizures. With the ability to see an issue and repair it and to see the large satisfaction that folks have that their little one goes to be okay.
3. What’s your greatest concern once you’re a affected person?
I believe the toughest factor about being a affected person is getting your questions answered in a well timed method. It is, “How do I get ahold of my physician?” Or, “Are they going to get again to me?” or “Am I going to have the ability to reschedule this appointment?” These are little issues, however I believe that they are necessary as a result of no one likes ready for outcomes and having unanswered questions.
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4. What do you do for stress aid?
I get pleasure from being outdoor, whether or not it is climbing, biking, snowboarding, or gardening.
5. Canine or cats?
Canine.
6. Final film you noticed? Thumbs up or down?
Prime Gun Maverick, which I believed was glorious — thumbs up.
7. Greatest recommendation you’ve got ever heard?
Present up, at all times do the appropriate factor for the affected person, and inform the reality.