DECEMBER 16th December 2011 Seasons Greetings for the coming Festive Season We have reached the time of the year when many families are celebrating Christmas or Hanukah and/or are about to welcome and celebrate the 2012 New Year. Wherever you are as this year closes and families come together for shorter or longer holiday breaks, I extend my very best wishes to you all. I hope the 2012 New Year brings peace, good health and happiness to all of you. Ostomy News from the Regions EOA EOA Congress in Lviv
With great pleasure and fond memories we're looking back at the EOA congress in May 2011 in Ukraine.
ASTOM did a very good job of hosting this conference.
Thanks for all the efforts of Professor Lozynsky and his team at ASTOM.
During the meeting in London in November 2011 the EOA-EC decided the next conference in 2014 will be in the beautiful city of Krakow in Poland.
Also there are activities being set-up in Africa. You can read about this on our EOA website (www.ostomyeurope.org) what is happening in Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Ghana.
World Ostomy Day 2012
At the EOA Executive Committee meeting in London it was decided that the theme for World Ostomy Day 2012 would be "Let's be Heard" and a new logo was introduced.
More information about the Coloplast Merit Award, the Hollister photographic competition etc., will be published on the IOA website.
OAA OAA is actively seeking funds to enable stoma nurse training courses to be held in Colombia, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Paraguay. Plans are still in the development stage for ostomy patient educational seminars to be held in two Dominican Republic cities in mid 2012. In conjunction with these meetings efforts will be made to organize a national ostomy association in the Dominican Republic. Jorge Vargas, Colima, Mexico is doing an outstanding job in western Mexico organizing ostomy support groups and providing ostomy patients with educational information. It is anticipated that OAA will have its website,www.OstomyAmericas.org up and running by the end of January.
ASPOA ASPOA Conference in Tehran 18th-21st October Iran Ostomy Society hosted a very successful Conference and House of Delegates meeting at the Olympic Hotel. Conferees were very well looked after by the hosts and we were treated to some excellent speakers as well as some memorable evenings at dinner. Some of the delegates and conference attendees had the opportunity to visit Isfahan and go on different tours. Iran Ostomy Society (IOS) have 3000 ostomates as members in Tehran. IOS has had three story structure which they own for the benefits and meetings for the ostomates. IOS has established a scientific group that has many surgeons and medical professionals participating in support of ostomates in Iran and they will establish Ostomy Care for improving the QOL of ostomates not only in Iran but also surrounding countries. Just before the conference a stoma care education programme was also started for nurses in Tehran with the help of "Lions for Stoma Care". Prof. Carlo Pezcoller and Dr. Harikesh Buch lead the programme. 20 nurses were trained in IOS in Stoma Care, Wound Care & Incontinence care. On the last day of the Conference, the new ASPOA website was launched thanks to Ronaldo Lora's excellent efforts. A new Strategic plan is being established for the region Kindest regards to all
Barry Maughan
Chairperson IOA C/C
SEPTEMBER My greetings to all in the Southern Hemisphere, where it is now spring and to those in the Northern Hemisphere, where it is now autumn. Nine months have now passed since the changes were made to the IOA Constitution with the reduction of the regions to three, and with a different IOA Governance model. Slowly the changes are taking place. General News: Webmaster: Ronaldo Lora our 20/40 Convener has been officially appointed as our webmaster and you will be noting changes on the website. EOA (European Ostomy Association) Congratulations to our Member Association in Denmark (COPA) who have just celebrated their 60th birthday on 27th August and are our oldest Association. Details of the celebrations are on the EOA website ostomyeurope.org Ria Smeijers and Anne Demmick will be co Conveners of World Ostomy Day 6th October 2012 and planning is beginning to take shape so expect to hear from them soon.. We are communicating with our sponsors Coloplast. Further information will be posted on this page. OAA (Ostomy Association of the Americas) Their new website will be launched soon and will be on our website homepage. One of the member Associations, UOAA, held their conference in Reno and this was reported to be a great success. The Nurse Training programme in South America (ALADO) led by S T Beatrice Reynoso and Dr Soria has now been completed. ASPOA (Asian and South Pacific Ostomy Association) The first ASPOA Conference and House of Delegates Meeting are being hosted by the Iran Ostomy Society in Tehran on 19-21 October. Planning has almost been completed and those in ASPOA are looking forward to traveling there and being hosted there by the Iran Ostomy Society. Further plans will be developed for the region and put in place at this meeting. Click for newsletter here.
President of ASPOA, Michi Takaishi, has visited Bangladesh and a new association is in the process of being formed. The new website will soon be launched. Projects The AtH China project details are on this page and the Nurse (AtH) Training project continues in India. Transition/Finance Former Treasurer Gene Zapf has now disbursed all uncommitted funds to the regions and the 3 regions now have the task of using these funds wisely in their region for the benefit of ostomates. World Ostomy Day (WOD) 6th October 2012 News and timelines etc will be regularly updated on this website Kindest regards to all
Barry Maughan
Chairperson IOA C/C | 
