Our developments for our 2nd Symposium in FUTURE OF HEART HEALTH are exciting. We have world-class speakers including:
Harold Buchwald Memorial Lecture - Eldon Smith, Chair of Canadian Heart Health Strategy and Editor Canadian Journal of Cardiology, Calgary "Cardiovascular Disease is Canada's number one public health problem; Why we need a Canadian Heart Health Strategy. A progress report."
Lyall Higginson - President - Canadian Cardiovascular Society, Victoria - "Aboriginal Cardiovascular Health in Canada and How The Heart Health Strategy and Action Plan can help."
Kit Arom from Bangkok, Thailand - to talk about tourism for Heart Health
Harvey Chochinov - Canada Research Chair in Palliative Care, Winnipeg - "Dying with Dignity: The Heart of the Matter "
Benedict Maniscalco - Heartbeat International, Tampa, Florida, who engaged us to establish links with our Academy "If anyone needs a Pacemaker, we'll do it"
Ian Smith - Director General, National Research Council Canada Institute for Biodiagnostics, Winnipeg - "Cardiac Bypass Verification -Student Project to World Class Company: Novadaq"
Doris Taylor - U of Minnesota - "Cells for prevention, treatment and cure of cardiovascular disease: A hope for today and tomorrow"
Our plan is for a one-day session on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2008 in the
St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre's Cohen Auditorium
For FREE ADMISSION, please request to: ivan@mts.net
SIR MAGDI YACOUB is President-Elect of the I A C S - to learn of his amazing initiative, please visit: http://www.chainofhope.org/
To celebrate the 70th Birthday of Naranjan Dhalla and the 10th
Anniversary of the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences, I
began to conceive an event about two years ago. I personally contacted
outstanding I A C S leaders from around the world and received
unanimous agreement to serve as Honourary Chairs from: Qi-De Han,
China; Otoni Gomes, Brazil; N.K. Ganguly, India; Makoto Nagano, Japan;
Eugeny Chasov, Russia; Sen. Wilbert Keon, Canada; Eugene Braunwald,
USA; Jutta Schaper, Germany; and Sir Magdi Yacoub who at a personal
meeting in February 2006 agreed to deliver the Keynote Address. Buoyed
by this global support, I approached Alan Menkis and Grant Pierce who
agreed to co-chair a unique symposium on "The Future of Heart Health"
for which we gathered an incredible faculty from various disciplines -
their efforts have drawn praise from around the world. Together, we
responded to interest from Merck-Frosst who enthusiastically agreed to
major sponsorship. Pawan Singal agreed to organize as part of the event
the 8th Annual Awards program of the Institute of Cardiovascular
Sciences as the scientific portion. Sponsorship was aggressively
pursued, including from the Winnipeg Partnership Agreement and achieved
success estimated to exceed $350,000 from over 30 companies and
agencies.
Upon contacting the University, Dr. Joanne Keselman, Vice-President of Research identified the potential of also celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the University joining with St. Boniface Hospital to designate the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences. With Drs. Hryshko and Pierce, we developed the plan to have the University and the Hospital jointly host a Luncheon on Oct. 13. During a visit to Rochester, I found that Dr. Hugh Smith from the Mayo Clinic was interested to join us and we invited him to be the guest speaker which we recognized with a unique award as a "Golden Boy".
Again,
I enjoyed unanimous agreement in creating a local 'team' including: Lee
& Bert Friesen as co-chairs; Hon. Peter Liba, Hon. Pearl McGonigal,
Tannis Richardson, Bill Norrie and Arnold Naimark as Hon. Patrons;
Mohinder Dhillon, Ken Dhalla, Krishnamurti Dakshinamurti and Bidhu Jha
for the Indo-Canadian gala; Eva Little and Sue Zettler -
administration; Daniel Juric, Behzad Yeganeh and Anton Uvarov -
transportation (to meet all guests and drive them to the hotels via
Wellington Crescent!); and extremely valuable assistance from Melissa
Dent - coordination; and Mike Czubryt - Chief Operating Officer.
In spite of our efforts to keep the plan secret as a surprise for Dr. Dhalla, he was told of the plans at a meeting in New Orleans and insisted on organizing an expanded scientific program which ultimately extended to twenty-three additional symposia.
Unique social events were organized at the Legislative Building, McPhillips Street Station (as a Roast), Tiffani's and an Indo-Canadian Tribute to Dr. Dhalla catered by East India Company at the Convention Centre. Each meal highlighted Manitoba products. As well, a 'Made In Manitoba' bag including Old Dutch Salt & Vinegar Chips, ClodHoppers, Crown Royal, Leobard Strawberry-Rhubarb Wine and Bulldog Amber Ale was placed in each visitor's hotel room.
Media coverage included a 4-page Section in the Free Press and their large Front Page report on a meeting between Dr. Yacoub and a patient from Brandon whose life he had saved with revolutionary surgery 17 years ago which was also covered by CTV News and CBC Radio. A Special Edition of "CV Network" of 40 pages was the official program, added to the website and distributed around the world. A Commemorative Tribute to Dr. Dhalla was produced by "Experimental & Clinical Cardiology". There was a full page tribute in The Indo-Canadian Telegram."NRC-CNRC Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology", edited by Grant Pierce, is accumulating articles from Dr. Dhalla's colleagues around the world, to create two commemorative issues. With the assistance of St. Jude Medical, talks at the Future Symposium were video-taped and slides gathered to create a DVD which IACS and SJM will distribute around the world. From the DVD, plans are underway to capture talks of interest to use in presentations at schools.
Attendance included close to 300 visitors, 200 local delegates, 250 guests at the Future Symposium and more than 1,200 at the Gala Dinner including the Lieutenant-Governor, our Premier, the Canadian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and Winnipeg's Mayor.
In my advance PR, I had repeated the quote "It sounds like an event fit for a King" and I guaranteed everyone the time of their life. In spite of being chastised by my daughter for being carried away in my salesmanship, I think with the total commitment of everyone at ICS, we exceeded the promises!
