Greetings to ostomates and website browsers wherever you are.

This week the IOA Coordination committee held our first Skype meeting that was very successful even though members needed to be awake at early or late hours to take part.

This will be my last message as Chairperson as I will step down on December 1st and Ken Aukett from OAA will assume this role. I will remain on the IOA CC until I am replaced at ASPOA’s conference in Seoul on 31 March/1 April.

Since the OAA conference on Bogota , Colombia, Jorge Morales is the new OAA Regional President and will replace Mariel Acero de Romero who has served diligently for the past 3 years.

Ann Favreau who has been the appointed secretary of the IOA CC for 6 years and in the years before that the IOA Board’s secretary ,will also step down on 1 December. She was thanked by myself and the Coordination committee for her great work over these many years. Anne Demick from EOA will now assume this role.

I have enjoyed meeting many dedicated ostomates from many member associations over the past years and urge you to continue the work to make sure ostomates wherever they may be receive the support they need.

Members of Industry and the many health professionals have aided our work and will continue to do so.