SAN ANTONIO \u2013 A San Antonio doctor who spends her days helping fragile newborns survive is sharing her family\u2019s story of loss in hopes of saving lives and encouraging more open conversations about mental health.<\/p>\n
Dr. Isabel Basaldu-Prado, a NICU doctor at St. Luke\u2019s Baptist Hospital, lost her son, Roel, to suicide in 2020.<\/p>\n
He was a junior at Texas A&M University.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it saves one life, then I\u2019ll feel like my son\u2019s death would not have been in vain,\u201d Basaldu-Prado said.<\/p>\n
Basaldu-Prado provides care for sick and premature babies in San Antonio.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love what I do because it\u2019s saving lives,\u201d she said. \u201cI get to see that first breath. I get to hear that first heartbeat. I get to help parents take their bundle of joy home.\u201d<\/p>\n
Basaldu-Prado is also a mother of five. Her children range in age from 15 to 34. Roel was her third child.<\/p>\n
She said Roel struggled with his mental health for years and was open with his family about what he was experiencing.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe came to us his junior year in high school and told us that he was having suicidal ideations,\u201d Basaldu-Prado said.<\/p>\n
His mental health care journey included medication, therapy and hospitalization, she said.<\/p>\n
Through it all, Basaldu-Prado said she and her husband worked to create a home where difficult conversations were welcomed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always told my kids that there\u2019s nothing that we can\u2019t talk about, that there is nothing that we cannot fix,\u201d she said. \u201cI always tell them that I would be more upset if they lied to me than if they tell me the truth, that we will always try to figure it out.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Suicide Prevention Month comes to a close, Basaldu-Prado said she hopes her family\u2019s experience encourages other parents and caregivers to listen closely when children talk about anxiety, sadness or suicidal thoughts.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf your child comes up to you and says that they\u2019re having issues with anxiety, they\u2019re having issues with sadness, pay attention,\u201d she said. \u201cListen.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 2021, the year after Roel died, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported suicide was the third-leading cause of death<\/a> among high school students.<\/p>\n Basaldu-Prado said families should approach mental health struggles with compassion, even when they are difficult to understand.<\/p>\n \u201cI would say to parents, just be open, be accepting, be understanding,\u201d she said. \u201cMental health does not make sense.\u201d<\/p>\n