Aqua Foundation will host at FIU Biscayne Bay campus

By MIKE ROSENFIELD

The Aqua Foundation will host the First Annual Transcon: Medical Symposium, a brain child of Jessica Lam on April 30-May 2. The event will be held at the FIU Biscayne Bay campus, 3000 NE 151st St, Miami. The transgender symposium is targeted toward the medical community to create greater awareness, exchange ideas, and demystify the transgender experience. Everyone is invited to come and network with the medical community. The Transcon committee is striving to create a medical directory out of the symposium participants to help meet the medical needs of the transgender community. Furthermore, for people in the medical field, the symposium is offering continuing education credits for attending the seminars.

Jessica Lam, transgender and parent of two, serves as the Secretary of the Board for the Aqua Foundation, and the Committee Chair for Transcon.

“I was born with a penis between my legs and was identified as a male for many years,” Lam said with a humorous undertone. “I began my transformation at the age of 25 but identified myself as living in the wrong body as early as the age of five. I received a lot of support from the community after having been a guest on the ‘Larry King Live’ show. That’s how I found my calling to be a transgender advocate.”

The conference has partnered with the Miami-Dade Gay and Lesbian Film Festival and will kick off Friday night with the feature film ‘Prodigal Sons’ directed by Kimberly Reed. Afterward Reed will serve amongst a group of “question and answer” panelists happy to discuss any transgender queries.

Saturday’s schedule of events will include an in-depth look at “What Gender is” with Dr. Marylyn Volker, “A question and Answer Transgender Panel”, “Hormone Therepy-Endocrinology “ presented by Dr. Lorena Lewy-Alterbaum, “Visit to the Doctor” presented by Dr. Carol Clark, and “Transgender Sensitivity in Healthcare” presented by Dr. Anagloria Mora.

Sunday’s events will include “Trangender Wellness” presented by Dr. Alberto Dominguez-Bali, “The Emergence of Trangender Youth & Medical Procedures presented by Marci Bowers, “Surgical Procedures and Issues Concerning the Aging Transsexual” presented by Dr. Harold Reed.

Next year’s seminar, will focus on the legal aspects of the transgender issue.

For more information and a complete schedule listing visit: www.aquafoundation. org.