President’s Message

I have some personal family information that I think may be of interest to you. My daughter Keyna is in Haiti having responded to a call for medical professionals to help. As you know it is a month since the earthquake hit Haiti and before long the rainy season will arrive. The situation remains critical as far as health care is concerned and so the call has gone out for health care professionals to volunteer a couple of weeks. Keyna has been fortunate that McMaster was happy to have her volunteer. She is an assistant Professor, Dept of Family Medicine at the Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University and also is the Physician Director Maternity Centre of Hamilton and Dept. of Family Medicine Obstetrical Education Coordinator. She is part of a team of twenty health care professionals going out to help; five doctors with Keyna being the family physician specializing in maternity issues.

It has been very interesting to see the preparations involved. Food and water remain a challenge for the Haitians and so each volunteer has been asked to bring when possible his/her own food supply. So. Keyna has taken granola bars, protein powder and vacu packed bags of tuna. Mosquitoes are a problem so long sleeves and pants together with a hat are a must. What I had not thought of was foot gear. Steel toed shoes with a steel in the sole to prevent any shard from penetrating the shoe as the last thing one needs is to develop an infection through the shoe being pierced.

Although we hear reports via our radio and television, the volunteers have been told that they will be out of communication for the time that they are there. They were told not to bring computers, cameras as they have no idea as to the sleeping arrangements and there will be no place to store any valuables. Keyna has her cell phone with her but we know that she will probably not be able to recharge it once the battery runs out. She will send a text when she can and we will pass it on to the whole family. It took them all day to get to Porto Prince. The airport is still controlled by the American military and priority for landing is being given to food supplies and waterproof tents so this volunteer team left from Toronto for Miami. From Miami to the Dominican Republic and then a six hour journey by road crossing the border into Haiti. There is no news yet but in the next newsletter I will let you know how things were for the team and if they ran into any ostomates.

There are a couple of things I would like you to know about. There is a most interesting educational presentation taking place on March 8th at Mount Sinai Hospital at 7pm in the auditorium. Ostomy Toronto will have our display with Maria Jose and Joey looking after it. The speakers who will be presenting the programme are Rob Hill and Clinton Shard.  At the end of March, Rob Hill will be embarking on his final challenge in the No Guts No Glory Seven Summits Campaign – tackling the highest peak in each of the seven continents. Everest is the last peak Rob needs to summit to complete his mission.

A feat only achieved by a handful of Canadians to date, Rob will be the first Canadian with Crohn's disease to complete all seven summits. Rob doesn't let Crohn's disease define him, and he's issuing a challenge to Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients in Canada and around the world: Go to www.IBDadventures.com and share your inspirational story, image or video about how “IBD Doesn't Stop Me.”

Before leaving for Everest in late-March 2010, Rob and Clinton will be visiting hospitals and schools in Montreal, Toronto and Calgary to spread the word about the campaign. For updated talk information visit www.IBDadventures.com, home of the “IBD Doesn't Stop Me” forum for IBD patients and supporters. I have heard Rob speak on more than one occasion. You will have a most enjoyable evening listening to Rob and Clinton.

I would like you to put Sunday April 11, 2010 in your date book. This is when Halton Peel chapter is celebrating its 25^th anniversary. You will find a copy of the invitation in this newsletter. Perhaps we can car pool for those who would like to help Halton Peel celebrate. Call the office and let us know if you are interested.

We received a special communication in the office this week from the Hamilton & District Chapter. A scholarship in memory of Claude and Ruth Campbell has been established to help young, permanent ostomates who live in Ontario and who are registered in a post-secondary educational institution in Ontario. The value of the scholarship is $250.00. For our young ostomates if you are interested, call the office and we will send you a copy of the Application Form. The form must be received in the Hamilton office by May 15, 2010.

Just to let you know that I will be out of the country for most of the next six weeks. On the 20th February I am leaving for India to participate in the launching of a special programme to help the development of Stoma Care in India. The IOA President, Dr Harikesh Buch, has developed e learning modules. These e learning modules are intended to teach Stoma Care to nurses in outlying, remote areas of India. The project is being launched in Mumbai, India on 27th February, 2010. There are approximately 100,000 ostomates in India & only one ET school in Mumbai. This school has trained only 100 ETs in last 30 years. Out of these only 35 or so are practicing in big cities; the rest of Indian ostomates in smaller towns have no body to take care of them. With this project it is hoped to train 1200 to 1400 nurses who will have knowledge to take care of ostomates through out India. I helped Harikesh write the grant proposal which was successful and my job is to speak to the ostomates in the area and help them set up ostomy associations with a Visiting programme. We will start the programme in Delhi, on to Bangalore and then onto Mumbai. It is in Mumbai that the official launching of the programme will take place. There is a flourishing ostomy group in Mumbai so my task will be to Train the Trainers so that they can carry on the formation of new groups throughout India. I will have my laptop with me and I hope that I will be able to post updates on the Ostomy Toronto website and on Facebook.

I am back at home for only six days before I leave on a personal holiday. I am going with my friend Elizabeth Lindner to Egypt. Jordan and Syria – will be away until April 1st. 2010. A trip of a lifetime! I will share the highlights with you on my return home.

I look forward to being with you at the April meeting. Until then take good care and my wish as always, is that you stay in good health.

Di 

Dielwen Bracken