A week of quite intense meetings at the 44th Annual Congress of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology ended October 9th. Prof Hesseling came from Capetown, Dr Francine and Nurse Vera came from Cameroon; the latter on a well-deserved SIOP Scholarship. BTMAT Trustees Peter and Paul were also there.
Two thousand doctors and nurses from all over the world were there. It was a heart-warming experience to be among so many colleagues, from 170 countries, all of whom were dedicated to the care of children with cancer in their own countries.
Cameroon was well represented. Vera’s two presentations were warmly received. Francine’s poster presentation displaying her study on the causes of delay in the diagnosis and treatment of children with cancer admitted to her hospital won the prize for best poster. BTMAT and our work in Cameroon remains firmly on the global radar of people concerned with child cancer.
Refreshing non-medical intervals occurred; Faryl our Patron sung before the huge audience in the Barbican at the Opening Ceremony; SIOP people were invited to the House of Lords for dinner one evening. Prof Hesseling and Peter were there. The Annual Gala Dinner at the end of the Congress was held in the magnificent Guildhall. Finally, we treated ourselves to a performance of Swan Lake at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. You may imagine what an experience that might be for our dear Cameroonian colleagues.
The next major SIOP Congress is to be held in Hong Kong in 2013. It is unlikely we will go there. The next African SIOP meeting will be in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in 2014. It will be very relevant for BTMAT to be at that one.
Francine with prize-winning poster, left; Faryl, right.