Rising out of the water, standing majestically atop her pedestal, her right hand held high, she holds the torch of hope and opportunity. Behold the Statue of Liberty! That was the site that shaped my father’s first views of America, as his merchant marine vessel sailed into New York’s Harbor in 1949.

My father had decided to come to America in search of a better life than the one he left behind in Italy. He explained to me how the little seed in his heart, of wanting a better life, had consumed him and began to influence his every thought and desire. This is much the same as my fascination with the medical system. More and more, my thoughts have been focused in trying to bridge the two medical cultures, Italian and American, to capture the best of both sides of the Atlantic that can provide hope and opportunity for others.

I found myself thinking back to my father, remembering his emotions of fear and frustration. For my father, overcoming self-doubt and apathy required an immense amount of courage and determination. He began to follow his dream and pursue a life he deemed to be better.

As I reflect, I must overcome my own passiveness and begin to make my dream a reality. I must overcome my own fears and my own complacency to achieve this dream. My dream, to bridge the best of two medical worlds, involves only ideas and some bureaucratic work. This is nothing compared to the stories I have heard about my parents and grandparents. They begged and borrowed money to purchase tickets for a two-week ocean voyage that would bring them to an unknown land, far away from home. If I cannot motivate myself, then I am not worthy to see my dream fulfilled.

My father’s early years in Chicago began by living in a one-room apartment, with three or four other friends, in order to save money. He ate at home every night, never going to restaurants because of the expense. (Perhaps the real reason was that the food was not as good as their homemade Italian meals.)

As for entertainment, this consisted of going out on Saturday nights to visit with other Italian families. The men would drink each other's homemade wine, while smoking and playing cards. My mother would be with the women, preparing food or cleaning up after the food was devoured. As a kid, it looked like I was sitting and watching TV, but I was really listening to the men’s tales and the women’s gossip. Being able to understand the dialect allowed me to have an unfiltered ear to the real world.

Growing up, we never went on vacations. My parents were always working, even though they were granted a two-week vacation each year. Sitting on plastic vinyl was part of everyday life, as it covered and protected the seats, both in the car and in the living room. I especially remember the hated summer days when you would stick to the plastic seats like glue.

My first step to accomplish my dream of bridging American and Italian medicine is to obtain my Italian medical license. This task has been very difficult and challenging for me, but it pales in comparison to what my parents had to go through, borrowing money and obtaining their visas and other necessary paperwork.

My parents had to go to other cities, often Naples or the nearest big city closest to their town of birth. I have similar challenges in obtaining the necessary educational paperwork to apply for my Italian medical license. Because I did my medical residency training in New Orleans and my fellowship training in Saudi Arabia, I am faced with working with each location’s affiliated Italian consulates.

I am driven by my grandparents’ and parents’ ambitions and hard work. If they could do something as difficult as starting a new life in a new country, leaving their wives and children behind, as they did at times for many years, I can begin to fulfill my dream and bridge the gap between American and Italian medicine.

My decision is strengthened as I focus on my goal. I will continue to overcome each obstacle, because I deem the importance of these medicines will provide a better life to many.

Dr. John Bello is a Chicago ophthalmologist and founder of Advanced Vision Specialists. The final article in his series will appear in the December issue.

Additional Articles in this Series

Return to the Future- Newsletter 1

Medicine, Italian-style- Newsletter 2

Please click on the link below (Comments) to read and comment on Dr. Bello's article.