It was June 1995. The Elis Regina auditorium, in Anhembi/SP, breathed a mixture of expectation and purpose. There, during the 3rd Mednesp, Spiritist doctors from all over the country gathered not just for scientific debates, but for a decisive moment: the founding of the Brazilian Spiritist Medical Association (AME-Brasil). The event, which had already been gaining momentum since 1991, became a symbol of unity and was the scene of an episode that would define the entity's resilience.

On the way to the foundation, a stumble that only strengthened a mission

The opening ceremony began like so many others. The speakers, following the ritual of the space, entered the stage through the curtains of the dressing room. It was then that Dr. Marlene Nobre - a figure revered for her leadership and loving nature - appeared to begin the proceedings. However, an unforeseen event cut through the solemn air: she tripped, fracturing her right ankle. The silence that followed lasted seconds that seemed eternal. How could we go on?

While she was being rescued, however, Marlene gave a clear order: “Don't stop the event. Mednesp must continue”. Hours later, back at Anhembi with her leg immobilized and sitting in a wheelchair, she resumed her post. While volunteers took turns helping her get around, she coordinated meetings during breaks, took part in strategic discussions and, above all, inspired everyone with her determination. As Dr. Décio Iandoli Júnior once said: “She personified the devotion and selflessness that Spiritism teaches us.”.

How many would have given up after falling? Marlene turned the obstacle into a foundation, the cornerstone that would guide AME-Brasil itself.

The lesson born of suffering

It has never faded from my memory - I have always kept the image of that fractured ankle as a metaphor. While the physical pain limited his movements, his moral strength united the group of doctors even more. During those days of work, including evenings when soup was served in the event's makeshift restaurant, doctors debated AME-Brasil's statutes. The fall, far from being a meaningless accident, revealed the essence of the Christian spirit - “Take these two words as your motto: devotion e selflessness, and you will be strong, because they summarize all the duties that charity and humility impose on you,” as he teaches The Gospel according to Spiritism (chapter VI, item 8).

By choosing to stay, Dr. Marlene showed that the true hierarchy, the one that AME-Brasil would adopt, is born of example, not titles.

June 17, 1995: the consolidation of a project that already existed in the heart of Jesus

On June 17, after two days of exhaustive deliberations, AME-Brasil was officially founded. Its birth already bore a mark: that no challenge is greater than the will to serve. Every day, I am certain that Dr. Marlene's broken leg was proof that everyone was there to build something greater than could ever be imagined.

Today, as it celebrates its 30th anniversary, AME-Brasil looks back and sees not just an entity, but a path paved by gestures like that of Marlene Nobre and so many others. However, on that day, her act of standing up (literally and figuratively) echoes the association's commitment: to integrate science and spirituality, without ever losing sight of the love of neighbor that Jesus exemplified.

May the next 30 years honor this history and, whenever an obstacle arises, may we remember: the same strength that turned a fall into a foundation will continue to guide AME-Brasil's tasks. Other stumbling blocks may come, but let us never forget that true greatness does not lie in never falling, but in always get up with a greater purpose.

Long live AME-Brasil!

Reference

KARDEC, Allan. The Gospel according to Spiritism. Translation by Guillon Ribeiro. 131. ed. Brasília, DF: FEB, 2019. Available at: https://www.febnet.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/WEB-O-Evangelho-segundo-o-Espiritismo-Guillon.pdf. Accessed on: May 31, 2025.