EBMT News

Barry Quinn

As this is the final time I will write to you in my role of President, permit me to reflect a while.

The first time a colleague suggested I submit an abstract for the EBMT meeting I knew very little about the organisation and what it did. However, from my first meeting, while enjoying the atmosphere, the fun and the content of the presentations, I could see the meeting was a real opportunity to hear about what was going on outside my transplant centre and country and to reflect on my own clinical practice. Many ideas I first heard at an annual meeting I now use in my clinical care of patients and in my educational support of the transplant team. I have never tired of meeting and working with other nurses, allied health professionals and physicians who work in a variety of roles in the transplant setting.

Over the years since its foundation the work of EBMT-NG has grown thanks to the support of the members and through the direction of different boards. I am grateful to those individuals who gave so much to the organisation in the early days, many of whom continue to work in transplant care. For over twenty years, members have shared the common vision of supporting colleagues to improve the care of patients undergoing stem cell transplantation.

While we continue to work towards delivering an exciting annual meeting each year, all of you are aware that the work of EBMT-NG goes far beyond the meeting. Colleagues throughout Europe are supported in their practice through the regular activities delivered thanks to the excellent work and commitment of the existing national groups. Today, members of the EBMT-NG, play a vital role working with physicians on various sub-committees and projects including; JACIE, the Education Committee, the Outreach Committee and the Mucositis Advisory Group. EBMT-NG members have successfully delivered educational opportunities (study days, educational sessions, workshops, scholarships, exchange visits), many with academic accreditation. Members, with support from industry have been working on educational packages on Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Multiple Myeloma, Oral mucositis and Graft versus host disease. Some of this material will be launched at our meeting in Hamburg and will soon be available to you for use in your own centres.

The editorial sub committee continues to advance the work of our journal so that members have some insight into developing practice in Europe , for many of our members our journal is their first opportunity to publish. The research group, continue their commitment and ability to deliver on European projects and surveys including care of the related donor and post-transplant care.

Today, as we continue to experience the successes and indeed sometimes the frustrations of our work, we see more and more people with a growing number of diseases, for whom stem cell transplant offers a real opportunity of hope. Alongside the very credible medical advances, I believe EBMT-NG has an ongoing obligation to advance the clinical support we offer.

I take this opportunity to invite you once again to the EBMT-NG 22nd annual meeting in Hamburg and to present the new members of the Board:

As our annual meeting approaches I know that many of you have already registered for the pre-meeting study day and the meeting itself. You will be receiving the final programme of the meeting very soon. The nursing scientific programme with the early morning educational sessions, the Monday workshops, the joint nurse/physician sessions, the submitted oral and poster presentations, the national meetings and the nursing symposiums supported by industry will be an exciting programme of events.

There are a number of important items to be discussed at our AGM, which will take place during the Hamburg meeting. Among the issues to be discussed, we will be asking you to vote on a number of important items including:

• The establishment of a scientific committee to help the board organise the annual meeting and the increasing educational initiatives

• Agreed structure for the research committee

• The format of our journal

Papers will be sent to you before the annual meeting. Although you must be at the AGM to vote we would be very keen to hear your thoughts and opinions on these matters.

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