On any given night in the rush and commotion of the Ryder Trauma Center at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center, you might find volunteer Alex Vara, a 19-year-old sophomore premed student at the University of Miami, pushing gurneys, restocking rooms, and learning from top trauma surgeons such as Juan A. Asensio, M.D. Vara began volunteering three years ago in a research laboratory, but he wanted to experience patient-physician interaction, and so he transferred to the trauma center a year ago. The trauma center has become his passion.

“Alex is a very bright young man with a very well-developed social conscience,” says Asensio, a professor of surgery, director of trauma clinical research, training and community affairs, and director of the trauma surgery and surgical critical care fellowship program. “Vara’s commitment to this cause is very commendable. It’s a daily battle with a lot of pain and misery—but it makes a difference, one human being at a time.”

“Most people don’t know this is the only certified level 1 trauma center in Miami-Dade County,” says Vara. “You get every kind of injury in here, from gunshot wounds to car crash victims. No matter where they come from, they are all treated equally.”

Vara was so impressed with the work being done at the trauma center that he wanted to contribute more than just his time. As a result, he created the Friends of Ryder Trauma Center, which is raising $2 million to fund an endowed chair in trauma surgery.

Alex’s father, Al Vara, has caught his son’s passion. He says, “Alex would come home and tell me fascinating stories, and I got very interested. With Friends of Ryder Trauma, we’re looking to create not just adequate care but superior care at the center. We have three goals: 1) provide resources for a research chair; 2) provide community education; and 3) support teaching.” Asensio will be the inaugural holder of the chair, which will provide funding for research on difficult injuries and problems in trauma surgery.

Asensio is no stranger to the pain of trauma—he first became interested in working in medicine when, as a child, he witnessed violence in Cuba during the revolution and years later when his brother was shot and died. “One practices medicine in many different ways. This tragedy befell my family, and if there’s anything positive that came of it, it’s that it focused me on what I needed to do as an expression of my social conscience.” But beyond his social conscience and humanitarian efforts, Asensio is a world-renowned surgeon who has received national and international honors for his work.

Since its founding in 1992, the Ryder Trauma Center and its medical staff have developed a worldwide reputation for clinical excellence. The facility is the centerpiece of Miami-Dade County’s trauma-care system, offering first-class clinical care to all residents, regardless of their ability to pay.

“The trauma center is recognized as a center of excellence throughout the world. It is one of the jewels in the crown of the Department of Surgery,” says Alan Livingstone, M.D., chairman of the DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery. “We are proud to be able to provide inspiration and education for our physicians in training, as well as the physicians of the future, such as Alex. And Alex’s efforts will ensure that we are able to do this.” To learn how to become a Friend of Ryder Trauma Center, visit www.friendsofrydertrauma.org.