Every August, Neurosurgery Awareness Month reminds us of the role our specialty plays in medicine and in the lives of patients and their families. The conditions we treat often present at critical moments, when decisions carry life-changing weight. To pursue a career in neurosurgery is to accept that responsibility and embrace the immense privilege of helping patients when they are at their most vulnerable.

When asked why they pursued medicine, many physicians share a straightforward answer: a desire to help people. In neurosurgery, that answer carries a particular urgency. Our patients trust us to bring both technical expertise and the compassion, resilience and dedication needed to guide them through their most challenging life experiences.

At UAB, we are proud to stand at the forefront of neurosurgical care. Today, we harness tools once unimaginable—precision imaging, robotics, advanced surgical navigation—yet our mission remains constant: to deliver the highest quality care to our patients, to advance research that will transform treatment and to train the next generation of neurosurgeons.

I am deeply grateful for our clinical, research and administrative teams who support this mission every day.

As we recognize Neurosurgery Awareness Month, I invite you to reflect on the impact of neurosurgery, not only on individual patients, but on the future of medicine itself. Together, we will carry this work forward—defined always by innovation, excellence and compassion.