Remembering Dr Renaldo Bernard: A Life of Courage

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our dear colleague and friend, Dr Renaldo Bernard, who left us far too soon at the age of 37. Renaldo was not just a brilliant researcher at Swiss Paraplegic Research (SPF) but also a remarkable human being. His journey was shaped by resilience, curiosity, and a deep commitment to making the world a better place.

Renaldo and his colleagues from the Ageing, Functioning Epidemiology and Implementation Group at SPF.

Born in Barbados, Renaldo was raised by his grandmother, a strong and loving woman who pushed him to live beyond socio-economic and health limitations.

He was born with a heart condition that required him to frequent operating theatres and hospital wards from a very young age. These experiences were difficult and exhausting, but they did not dent Renaldo's heart, nicknamed “Renaldo the lionheart”.

Throughout his life, Renaldo needed access to health services, which helped him learn about the great achievements of medicine, as well as its great failings. One in particular caught his attention: the low adoption of digital technologies to empower patients to manage their own health.

Making digital empowerment his life's work

At SPF, Renaldo authored pioneering studies on how people with SCI use digital health tools like smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices to support their everyday health and well-being. His research study on digital health utilization in spinal cord injury revealed that nearly 70% of individuals with SCI in Switzerland used these tools to learn about their condition, track symptoms, and stay connected with healthcare providers.

He also discovered some surprising trends. For example, women were almost twice as likely to use digital health tools as men, and that older adults aged 60–70 were enthusiastic users of them. However, Renaldo’s work also underscored a significant challenge: a lack of trust in digital tools prevented many from using them.

Renaldo (2nd from right) enjoys a bowling evening with his friends from SPF.

Determined to close this gap, Renaldo conducted a comprehensive review of available SCI self-management apps. These apps are designed to help people with SCI manage their health, daily routines, and rehabilitation independently.

Despite their potential, he found that most of these apps were limited in scope and often focused on just one aspect of daily life, like tracking exercise or offering guided meditation. What was missing was a more well-rounded, practical tool that could address the broader challenges of living with SCI.

Even more concerning, many of the apps that researchers had written about in scientific journals weren’t actually accessible to the public, making it difficult for those who needed them most to benefit from these innovations.

To address this, Renaldo began exploring “low-code” platforms – user-friendly, cost-effective systems for building apps without extensive programming. He believed that these platforms could enable the development of reliable, evidence-based SCI self-management tools at a fraction of the cost of traditional app development. Although Renaldo didn’t have the chance to complete this work, his forward-thinking approach continues to guide ongoing projects.

Renaldo Bernard was a visionary who saw digital health as a way to empower individuals and improve lives. But beyond his scientific contributions, we will remember his kindness, humour, and “lionheart” — the unshakable courage and compassion he brought to everything he did.

We will miss his brilliance and friendship, but his legacy remains a guiding light for us all.

Rest in peace, Renaldo. Your impact lives on, and your work continues to inspire us.