National Member Societies Research Articles

Obituary

A fine man is dead. A few days after the closing of the IXth ISPO World Congress the news came that Jo was admitted to hospital with symptoms of a progressive stroke. Shortly after admission he became unconscious and remained in a coma until he died on Thursday 22 July. For the last 5 years Jo Hanssen was the Treasurer in the Organising Committee of ISP0’98 and from 1983 until 1995 he was responsible for finance and membership on the Committee of the National Member Society of ISPO-Netherlands. Some facts are given below for those who read this obituary but never met Jo Hanssen in person. Jo’s death is a tragedy for his wife Bertie, his children Susanne and Karin and for Franc van der Linden, his son-in-law and successor in the Orthopaedic Shoe Company successfully build up by the Hanssen family. For the many friends and colleagues it is a temble blow and the true impact will only appear to us in the near future.

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR PROSTHETICS and ORTHOTICS UK National Member Society ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR PROSTHETICS and ORTHOTICS UK National Member Society ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING

Incoming President's Address

It is a great honour to me to have been elected to this, the highest office of our Society. I accept the task in the knowledge that there are great duties and tasks to fulfil now and in the coming three years. I was very pleased that it was possible, as President-Elect, to take part in a lot of activities of the Executive Board as well as representing the ISPO Board on the Boards of Interbor and IVO . It has to be stated that many initiatives have been taken in the past three years by the Board members, the Task officers, the National Members Societies and certainly also by the individual members of ISPO. The result is that I can now lead a healthy Society although I am also aware that a rapidly growing society needs a firm structure with flexibility in a form in which each member can feel at home. It will not be possible to make an individual approach to everybody, but the new Board will really try to go on with a philosophy in which constructive ideas may be incorporated. It is with great pleasure to announce that we now have 20 national member societies and nearly 2300 members. New faces have appeared on our Board and in committees. A lot of work has to be continued. We may look forward to the next Triennium with confidence, but with a strong awareness of the task which faces us. We have to work with the International Agencies to raise standards of training of professionals and treatment of patients. We have to continue with activities in the Developing World which have already been formulated and approved by the Executive Board and published in several reports. Of great importance is Education. The President’s Report has given a review of all the activities of the last three years consisting of symposia, congresses, instructional courses and workshops concerning education in prosthetics and orthotics and rehabilitation engineering. In the next Triennium these activities will continue, not only within the Society but also in close co-operation with other societies. A good example is the European Congress on the Advancement of the Rehabilitation Technology, 1990, where the organization will be in the hands of three societies, one of them being ISPO. I would like to stimulate activities on education in the National Member Societies and also stimulate co-operation between different societies. It is evident that with the awareness of the increase in knowledge and the raising of standards the numbers of members of our societies will grow. New initiatives are welcome. Another important subject of education is related to the EEC council directive on the recognition of education of the professions. The ISPO/Interbor Education Commission has to continue its activities. Now we are at the end of a very successful Congress at Kobe, Japan, under the Chairmanship of Professor Tsuchiya and our Secretary-General, Seishi Sawamura. All the Japanese organizers really deserve our deepest gratitude for all the hard work which has been done. The performance was excellent. In every sense, it was a great success both scientifically and socially. I would especially like to express my thanks to Seishi Sawamura. He has given an enormous stimulation to our Japanese friends to fulfil their task, the ISPO World Congress. I would like to express our gratitude by declaring that we will recommend to the next Board Meeting that Seishi Sawarnura will be appointed as the Official Consultant for Asia for ISPO. We are sure an equally successful event awaits us in the United States of America. I urge you to support our American friends by responding to their requests and most of all by your presence in Chicago. I would like to thank John Hughes as President of the Executive Board of ISPO for the Triennium 1986-1989. In the last three years we have worked very closely together as already mentioned on several occasions. His knowledge of the Society, his leadership which has been illustrated by clearness, intelligence and resolution has been greatly in evidence. On behalf of the whole Society I would like to

International Newsletter Autumn 1989

ISPO National Member Societies worldwide have been exceedingly active in presenting both broadly based and highly focused educational programmes to their members and others in the professional community.

International Newsletter

Worldwide, ISPO members involve themselves in a myriad of scientific, educational, and service-oriented pursuits. Very often, the national member society is the vehicle for these endeavours. Because the happenings in one country are likely to inspire similar undertakings elsewhere, organizers of professional meetings should share programmes with the Newsletter Editor, Joan Edelstein, New York University, 317 East 34th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States, In addition, achievements of individual members, such as books and journal articles published, honours awarded, and recent appointments, are important news items.

National Member Society Secretaries

National Member Society Secretaries

Recognition of the Dominica Red Cross Society

We have the honour to inform you of the official recognition of the Dominica Red Cross Society by the International Committee of the Red Cross. This recognition, which took effect on 15 March 1989, brings to 148 the number of National Societies members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.The new Society applied for recognition by the International Committee of the Red Cross on 13 December 1988. In support of its application it forwarded various documents, including a report on its activities, the text of its Statutes and a copy of governmental decree No. 5/83 adopted by the House of Assembly on 7 March 1983, signed by the President of the Commonwealth of Dominica on 25 March 1983 and published in the Official Gazette on 7 April 1983. This attests that the Dominica Red Cross Society is recognized by the Government as a voluntary aid society auxiliary to the public authorities in accordance with the provisions of the First Geneva Convention of 1949.

International Newsletter Summer 1988

Diversified activity characterizes ISPO National Member Societies. Worldwide reports of seminars with international speakers, panel discussions, specialized workshops, and comprehensive courses indicate the breadth of interests of our members and the service the societies render to their constituents. David Condie, Co-Editor for European Member Societies, Dundee Limb Fitting Centre, 133 Queen Street, Broughty Ferry, Dundee DD5 1AG, Scotland, and Joan Edelstein, Co-Editor for African, American, Asian and Oceanian Member Societies, New York University, 317 34th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States welcome announcements of meetings and news of activities of individual ISPO members.

Editorial

Since its inception, one of the Society's prime areas of interest and effort has been in the field of education and training. Those of us in the industrial world are aware of this on-going activity. We see it in the continuing debate on our prosthetics/orthotics education programmes and the steady raising of standards. We know of the courses, seminars and conferences, national and international, which ISPO and our National Member Societies provide. This emphasis on education is necessary if we are to maintain and improve standards of patient care.

Recognition of the Red Cross of Chad

We have the honour to inform you of the official recognition of the Red Cross of Chad by the International Committee of the Red Cross. This recognition, which took effect on 15 April 1988, brings to 146 the number of National Societies members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Recognition of the Grenada Red Cross Society

We have the honour to inform you of the official recognition of the Grenada Red Cross Society by the International Committee of the Red Cross. This recognition, which took effect on 12 March 1987, brings to 145 the number of National Societies members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Recognition of the Suriname Red Cross Society

We have the honour to inform you of the official recognition of the Suriname Red Cross by the International Committee of the Red Cross. This recognition, which took effect on 1 October 1986, brings to 143 the number of National Societies members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Recognition of the Red Crescent of Djibouti

We have the honour to inform you of the official recognition of the Red Crescent of Djibouti by the International Committee of the Red Cross. This recognition, which took effect on 15 October 1986, brings to 144 the number of National Societies members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Recognition of the Saint Lucia Red Cross Society

We have the honour to inform you of the official recognition of the Saint Lucia Red Cross Society by the International Committee of the Red Cross. This recognition, which took effect on 1 October 1986, brings to 140 the number of National Societies members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Recognition of the Guinean Red Cross Society

We have the honour to inform you of the official recognition of the Guinean Red Cross by the International Committee of the Red Cross. This recognition, which took effect on 1 October 1986, brings to 141 the number of National Societies members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Recognition of the Angola Red Cross Society

We have the honour to inform you of the official recognition of the Angola Red Cross Society by the International Committee of the Red Cross. This recognition, which took effect on 1 October 1986, brings to 142 the number of National Societies members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Recognition of the Guinea-Bissau Red Cross

We have the honour to inform you of the official recognition of the Guinea-Bissau Red Cross by the International Committee of the Red Cross. This recognition, which took effect on 27 August 1986, brings to 138 the number of National Societies members of the International Red Cross.

Recognition of the Red Crescent Society of the United Arab Emirates

We have the honour to inform you that the International Committee of the Red Cross has officially recognized the Red Crescent Society of the United Arab Emirates. This recognition, which took effect on 27 August 1986, brings to 139 the number of National Societies members of the International Red Cross.

Recognition of the Red Cross Society of São Tomé and Principe

We have the honour to inform you of the official recognition of the Red Cross Society of São Tomé and Principe by the International Committee of the Red Cross. This recognition, which took effect on 3 October 1985, brings to 137 the number of National Societies members of the International Red Cross.

Recognition of the Red Cross Society of Cape Verde

We have the honour to inform you of the official recognition of the Red Cross Society of Cape Verde by the International Committee of the Red Cross. This recognition, which took effect on 14 March 1985, brings to 136 the number of National Society members of the International Red Cross.