Dear ISACHD members,
What can you expect from ISACHD in 2012? A membership certificate is being prepared for all ISACHD members. It is a proof of membership which you can use for congresses endorsed by ISACHD. Our aim is to achieve a reduced registration fee for (paying only!) ISACHD members at all endorsed ACHD meetings worldwide. Erwin Oechslin, as the chairman of the education working group, is leading the process of endorsement. On the ISACHD website you may find a list of endorsed meetings for the next coming months.
The education working group is very active in preparing a web-based teaching course. Els Pieper from Groningen has prepared an excellent preliminary program, which is now being finalized. Erwin foresees that all talks will have been recorded by the end of this year. In addition, the working groups on Global Health, led by Curt Daniels, and on Global Research, led by Koichiro Niwa, are proceeding rapidly with their activities. Collaboration with The World Heart Federation and Project Hope will offer opportunities for health care projects in underserved areas.
Several general topics for joined research worldwide were chosen at the AHA meeting in Orlando last November: sports, QoL, lost to follow-up, and ACHD care facilities. The working groups have conference calls regularly, and at the ACC in Chicago the actual status of their activities will be presented. The ISACHD meeting in Chicago is scheduled for Sunday evening, March 25th, from 7-9 pm. More details will follow. In Chicago, ISACHD's leadership will change, and Curt Daniels will become the new president. This will undoubtly bring new ideas and plans for the rest of the year.
The ISACHD executives wish you all a happy and healthy 2012! We would love to welcome you at our meetings. And we hope to welcome as many new ISACHD members as we did last year!
Barbara J.M. Mulder
President
