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Message from the Executive Director
Liliana De Lima, MHA (USA)
Dear readers:
I hope that this New Year brings happiness, peace and health to you and your loved ones.
During the past several years many advances and changes have taken place at IAHPC, especially in our ability to communicate with palliative care workers around the globe. These are exciting times that offer new opportunities for collaboration, networking and support. What hasn’t changed is our commitment to support palliative care in developing countries and to implement cost effective strategies and programs that maximize our ability to help and accomplish our mission.
As you know, this month marks the start of the term of our new Chair, Dr. Roberto Wenk. In the next few weeks we will meet for a few days and work together in developing a strategic plan to continue the excellent work of our past Chair, Dr. Kathy Foley. We will be focusing a lot on governance issues and in identifying ways and strategies on how IAHPC may serve the palliative care community better, considering the limited resources we have.
We also recently completed the election of new board members. The six new members will be announced next month in our Newsletter. Many thanks to all who nominated candidates. We appreciate your interest and support.
As in the past, we will continue to help the development of palliative care, education, research and practice around the world. This year, we will be meeting in the IVth Congress of the Latin American Association for Palliative Care in Peru. I am happy to announce that, in the same way we have supported other regional congresses, we will support this congress by providing the cost of travel of speakers and by giving funds to regional palliative care workers who otherwise would not be able to attend. To learn more about the Congress in Peru, or other palliative care related meetings, please visit our calendar of events in our website at http://www.hospicecare.com/future.htm
Our website is also currently undergoing major changes, which you will notice as you browse through it. Thanks to the great work of our web designer, Ms Anne Laidlaw and her team at Alou, we have been able to continue providing a website that is interesting, informational and resourceful. Please send us your comments on how we can improve our website and the ways you may use it to further promote palliative care in your institution, region or country.
The end of the year also marks the expiration of IAHPC membership for many of you. Individuals and institutions whose membership is about to expire should have received reminders by mail. If your membership expired and you have not renewed, please remember to do so. Membership dues are very important to IAHPC as they help us to continue our mission to help others. To renew your membership, please go to our website at www.hospicecare.com and click on the IAHPC Membership Join/Renew button in the links on the left.
During the month of December, we received many donations from individuals who gave funds to IAHPC in memory of a friend or loved one as a gesture of gratitude for the care that they received from hospice and palliative care providers. Many thanks for your encouragement, support, and help. These donations are very important to the organization as they are a reflection of how much impact we are really having at the level that matters most - patients and families.
We appreciate the confidence that all of our donors, members and readers have placed in us and in our work. We will strive to be better each day and look forward to working with you in 2008.
Sincerely,
Liliana De Lima, MHA
Executive Director
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