title: The power of stories in Pediatrics and Genetics.
abstract: On the occasion of the opening ceremony of the 43rd Sicilian Congress of Pediatrics, linked with Italian Society of Pediatrics SIP, SIN, SIMEUP, SIAIP and SINP, held in Catania in November 2015, the Organizing Committee dedicated a tribute to Professor John Opitz and invited him to give a Masters Lecture for the attendees at the Congress. The theme expounded was "Storytelling in Pediatrics and Genetics: Lessons from Aesop and from Mendel". The contribution of John Opitz to the understanding of pediatric clinical disorders and genetic anomalies has been extremely relevant. The interests of Professor John Opitz are linked not only to genetic disorders but also extend to historical medicine, history of the literature and to human evolution. Due to his exceptional talent, combined with his specific interest and basal knowledge in the genetic and pediatric fields, he is widely credited to be one of the best pediatricians in the world.
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics (Medical Genetics), Pediatric Pathology, Human Genetics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Opitz
authors.affiliation: Unit of Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency, University Hospital "Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele", Università di Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pavone
authors.affiliation: Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care, Università di Palermo, Via Alfonso Giordano, 3, 90127, Palermo, Italy. giovanni.corsello@unipa.it.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Corsello
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001877:Books / Q000266:history*; D002657:Child Development; D005823:Genetics / Q000266:history*; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007313:Insecta / Q000235:genetics*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000266:history; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics*; D014481:United States