Cindy de la Rosa, MD

Any film with the Minions! They are such funny and delightful creatures! They remind me of younger children in their innocence and occasional mischief. Their speech reminds me of the immature jargoning of 15 mo olds which I find so amusing!

Oh my, I have so many favorites! I guess, I will have to go with the Little Men and Little Miss series by Roger Hargreaves because each character is illustrated so simply yet whimsically, and personifies a particular quality that's relatable to children everywhere. Eg, Mr. Messy or Little Miss Giggles. Plus, there's always humor and a moral in each story.

Again, I have so many favorites! Among my faves are the Tiny Tikes Toddle Tots from the 1970s. I love their short and squat egg shape. Their egg sihouette conjures up memories of childhood Easter celebrations, and of course, the Minions.

My greatest inspiration is the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. If you find yourself in awe of the masterpieces of art, architecture and music, you would realize that no earthly creature but her has inspired such beauty and goodness throughout the ages and across cultures. She is the world's most humble yet most influential and powerful woman.

I love designing and sewing costumes for my little nieces and nephews, drawing inspiration from characters in classic literature and musicals. What else? Watching musicals on Broadway and mystery series/historical dramas in foreign languages, building LEGOs/dancing in the kitchen with my nieces and nephews, growing food and flowers, and trying new recipes or creating my own.

I come from a family of physicians so it was just natural for me to follow a path in Medicine. I chose Pediatrics because no other specialty offers the rewarding opportunity to care for people from their time as babies until they are launched into adulthood. Children also have better outcomes because they do not have self-inflicted co-morbidities. I believe that as a pediatrician, I have the unique power to intervene early in the prevention of disease whether of the mind or body. Best of all, I get to be blessed with the fun and pure joy that comes from the unfiltered things that kids from all backgrounds say or the funny things that they do! Reels on Tiktok can't compete!

My patients describe me as being dedicated and thorough. They never feeling rushed. They see me as physician who wants to get to the bottom of things. They are grateful for the time I spend after hours to get updates on their child's condition. They genuinely appreciate the education I offer in preventive medicine and early intervention.