Lexi Navarro (USA)

My name is Lexi Navarro and I am from Charlotte, North Carolina. I completed my undergraduate studies in 2022 and am currently working as a medical assistant with the intention to become a physician. I am passionate about promoting patient advocacy, cultural competence in clinicians, and empowerment through both education and shared decision making in a clinical setting.

During my undergraduate career, I worked as a research assistant in Boston University’s Department of Dermatology where I first learned about the prevalence of vascular malformations. Specifically, I learned more about the community of people with them and how their experiences in a clinical setting can influence their overall quality of life. The need for a higher standard of awareness and understanding of vascular abnormalities among clinicians in order to diagnose and treat the patients with them quickly became evident. I am hopeful of a future where more patients and their families are met with support and ample resources rather than fear and ambiguity at the time of diagnosis and aspire to contribute to the efforts of amplifying their voices to improve their universal awareness.