My young patients fly into surgery dressed as superheroes. Surgery became a lot less scary for them.

Dr. Leandro Brandão Guimarães buys costumes for his patients to feel braver. Courtesy of Dr. Leandro Brandão Guimarães Dr. Leandro Brandão Guimarães buys superhero costumes for young patients himself. Children wear the costumes into the operating room with a parent by their side. He says the tradition has reduced fear and transformed the surgical experience. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Leandro Brandão Guimarães. It has been edited for length and clarity. When I fi...