|
FROM THE PRESIDENT
The Society has had a successful 2007, thanks to all the hard work by members
contributing to our meetings, international teachers of note, and a hardworking
Executive Committee assisted by Hendrika van der Merwe.
The Refresher Course on Arthritis at Kievitskroon Country Estate outside
Pretoria was ably organised by Johan van der Westhuizen. Lectures by
physiologists and rheumatologists added quality to a very good course.
The 10th Triennial IFSSH meeting in Sydney, Australia during March was well
attended by South African delegates and thanks to Prof Michael Tonkin, the IFSSH
Congress Chairman of the Scientific Committee most of our South African
delegates were involved as session moderators. The meeting was a huge success
both academically as well as socially, with Sydney a great city with fantastic
amenities. The international camaraderie amongst hand surgeons was good and we
all enjoyed each other’s company. The Opening Ceremony was also the induction of
International Pioneers of Hand Surgery. We were proud to have the late Dr A C
Boonzaier introduced as a Pioneer. His award was accepted by his daughter Kate.
It was a very emotional and proud moment for all. Ulrich Mennen, who is now the
Secretary of the IFSSH, introduced the Pioneers. It is indeed an honour for
South African Hand Surgery to have Professor Mennen flying the flag for us
internationally. Professor Jim Urbaniak of Duke University (USA) is the
President of
IFSSH and also a previous invited Guest of SASSH and friend of South Africa.
The 2007 Johannesburg Congress was successfully organised at the Indaba Hotel
and Conference Centre by Michael Carides. Professor Amit Gupta of Louisville led
an excellent Instructional Course and also treated us to a spectacular lecture
at the Banquet on the Fibonacci sequence in nature. He was well supported by Dr
Mark Ross of Brisbane. Theo le Roux delivered an excellent AC Boonzaier lecture
on the Sunday.
I would like to pay tribute to our outgoing President, Professor Theo le Roux,
who has led and served the Society well and continues to give academic as well
as administrative leadership in hand surgery.
I also wish to applaud and thank Professor Ulrich Mennen for his multiple years
of service to our Society through the Exco and as Past President. Ulrich will
remain as our Historian and continues to serve hand surgery through his leading
roles in the IFSSH.
The year 2008 promises to be interesting: we return to Port Elizabeth in
February and promise a very interesting Refresher Course on the Wrist, convened
by Michael Carides. It has been some time since we have devoted a meeting to the
wrist and Michael has endeavoured to put together an interesting and stimulating
academic program that will appeal to all. Invited speakers will include Philippe
Kopylov (Sweden), William Geissler and Randy Bindra (both from USA) and who will
also participate in the planned workshops. I urge members to book early for a
promising and lively meeting in the Eastern Cape.
The next congress will be in Cape Town and we are looking forward to the
contributions from Prof Marybeth Ezaki from Dallas, Texas.
Thank you very much to our members for your continuing support to our Society.
I wish all a blessed festive season with lots of charity and some rest for 2008.
MARTIN WELLS
FROM THE OUTGOING PRESIDENT
A very successful year is speeding to its end. I had a wonderful time as
President and it was a great privilege to serve the Society.
Martin Wells is your new President and things will run smoothly under his caring
eye.
How can we support his team?
- Members to be actively involved with nominations for Executive members
- Try to obtain more sponsors for our meetings
- Improve the communication to our members, e.g. e-mail; sms etc
- We need sponsorship for our overseas guests
- The checkmate situation with orthopaedics has to be addressed on a
national level to improve the working relation between the different
societies and to utilize the speakers to participate at both meetings
- Thank you again to Ulrich Mennen’s years of input to the Society
Have a blessed festive season and prosperous New Year.
THEO LE ROUX
FROM THE SECRETARIAT
It is with pleasure that I take on the task of Honorary Secretary. It was sad to
see one of our pundits Prof U Mennen resign from Exco after a long and
industrious association with the Hand Society.
I also have the following announcements to make regarding events, fees, awards
and courses:
ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW
EXECUTIVECOMMITTEE: 2007-2009
At the recent SASSH Congress held in Johannesburg, the following members were
elected to serve on the Executive Committee: Drs Michael Carides, Mahendra Daya,
Michael Solomons and Johan v d Westhuizen
2008 EVENTS
Refresher Course
Date 22-24 February 2008
Venue Boardwalk Conference Centre, Port Elizabeth
Topic Trauma and Disorders of the Wrist
Dr Michael Carides, Course Chairman, has compiled an extensive and interesting
scientific program on this topic. You will receive full information shortly.
Please also check the SASSH website.
Congress
Event 39th Annual Congress and Instructional Course
Official invited speaker: Prof Marybeth Ezaki
Date 29 - 31 August 2008
Venue Cape Town
Diarise these dates and make sure you register for these exciting events.
SASSH FUTURE EVENTS
Refresher Courses
2009
Topic Congenital Deformities, Anatomy, Microsurgery and Biomechanics
Date TBA
Venue Durban
2010
Topic Nerve, Pain, BPI, Sudeck’s, Tendon Transfers
Date TBA
Venue Cape Town
Annual Congresses
2009
40th Congress and Instructional Course
Date 5-6 September
Venue Bloemfontein
2010
41st Congress and Instructional Course
Date 4-5 September
Venue Pretoria
INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
FESSH:
XIII Congress
Venue Lausanne, Switzerland
Date: 19-21 June 2008
Website: www.eurohand2008.com
MEMBERSHIP FEES 2008
The Executive Committee recommended at the recent Annual General Meeting that
the membership fees to be increased for 2008. The members agreed and the
following increased fees will be applicable:
Full Members:
- Entrance Fee (once off) R530.00
- Annual R530.00
Associate-, Affiliate Members (Registrar, MO, Physio- and Occupational
Therapist) and Corresponding Members
- Entrance Fee waived
- Annual R310.00
You are friendly requested to submit your outstanding membership fee for 2007.
The Society depends on your contribution in order to maintain the obligations
and standards of our mandate.
PRIZES AND AWARDS
(a) SASSH Travelling Fellowship in Hand Surgery
A Travelling Fellowship has been created to enable a Senior Registrar/Junior
Consultant to travel overseas to visit one or more centres of excellence in Hand
Surgery. The Fellowship is awarded annually. The current value is R7,500-00.
Conditions apply. For further details, please contact the Secretariat.
(b) Macromed Barry O’Kelly Memorial Prize
The prize is sponsored by MACROMED and awarded annually for the best original
content paper presented at the SASSH Congress. The papers will be judged
according to the following criteria:
- Originality, content, presentation, value, conclusion
Papers will be judged by the members of the Executive Committee of SASSH as well
as one independent judge who will be the invited international guest, and their
decision shall be final. The prize is open to all categories of currently
paid-up members of SASSH and must be taken up in the year following presentation
of the award. The value of this award includes the cost of all flights,
accommodation and registration fees to either the following year’s FESSH
(Federation of European Societies for Surgery of the Hand) meeting or an
Orthofix meeting. Daily subsistence allowance is not included.
(c) Stratmed Prize for the Best Research Paper
This prize is sponsored by STRATMED and awarded annually for the best research
paper presented at the SASSH Congress. The papers will be judged according to
the following criteria:
- Originality, content, presentation, value and validity, logical deduction
Papers will be judged by the members of the Executive Committee of SASSH as well
as one independent judge who will be the invited international guest, and their
decision shall be final. The prize is open to all categories of currently
paid-up members of SASSH and must be taken up in the year following presentation
of the award. The value of this award includes the cost of all flights,
accommodation and registration fees to the following year’s FESSH (Federation of
European Societies for Surgery of the Hand) Congress. Daily subsistence
allowance is not included.
(d) The American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) Bunnell Travelling
Fellowship is awarded annually to any member of SASSH at registrar level. This
allows for complimentary registration to the annual ASSH meeting as well as
visits to local hand centres. The closing date for applications is 15 February
2008. Further information can be obtained from the Honorary Secretary of SASSH.
7. COURSE IN BASIC AND APPLIED MICROSURGERY TECHNIQUE: MEDUNSA
The Microsurgery Laboratory of the Department of Hand- and Microsurgery of
Medunsa offers this Course. For further details, please contact the Secretariat.
8. FELLOWSHIP IN HAND SURGERY: CHRIS HANI HOSPITAL
A Fellowship in Hand Surgery is open to surgeons who have already completed
their postgraduate training, including basic training in hand surgery, and is
available at Chris Hani Hospital. Please contact John Fleming – telephone (011)
6403093.
OTHER NEWS from around:
- The Cape Hand Club with Martin Wells, Michael Solomons, Ajmal Ikram,
Dave Rodseth, Steve Carter, Deon Engela, Sean Pretorius, Christo Lourens and
Adriaan Smit still meet regularly bimonthly
- Michael Solomons would like to thank Macromed who afforded him the
attendance of FESSH meeting in June in Athens. This was the Macromed prize
won in 2006
- A very deserved congratulation is extended to the recipients of the
awards at the last Hand Congress.
They were:
1. Dr Michael Solomons received the Isidore Kaplan Prize for the best
publication between 1 January–31 December 2006
2. Drs M Murdoch and H Sithebe received the SASSH Registrar Prize for the best
paper read at Congress 2007
3. Liane Dawe: SASSH Therapist Prize for the best paper read at Congress 2007
4. Dr Michael Carides won the Stratmed Prize for the Best Research Paper
5. Dr Michael Solomons was awarded the Macromed Barry O’Kelly Memorial Prize for
the best original content paper presented at the SASSH Congress
.
- Click here to view correspondence received from FESSH. This will
qualify members of SASSH to apply to write the Diploma Examination.
From the Executive Committee of SASSH I wish you a wonderful festive season and
a prosperous 2008.
Kind regards
MAHENDRA DAYA
HONORARY SECRETARY/TREASURER
|
|
