The Annual General meeting will be held on 13^th November 1999 at the Johannesburg Hospital area 154D (level 5 red block) 0830 – 0930 followed by a champagne and quiche breakfast

The biennial meeting held in Durban was well attended. A new National Haemophilia Foundation Chairman, Mr Janek Galweski (Western Cape Region) and Vice Chairman, Mr Brian Allingham (Central Region) were voted in. Congratulations to them both .Mr Gordon Marran (Northern Region) and Mr John Schimper (KZN region) retain the posts of secretary and treasurer.

If you would like to bring anything to the attention of the national Haemophilia Foundation please forward it to The Secretary, South African Haemophilia Foundation, Mr Gordon Marran on Fax (012) 6530079 or post it to P O Box 52751, Wierda Park, 0149. We look forward to your participation in the affairs of the foundation.

Dr Madolo, Deputy director Genetics attended this meeting and heard reports from all the regions. Following this the executive of the South African Haemophilia Foundation and the representatives from the South African Haemophilia Foundation Medical Advisory Committee met with Dr Madolo to discuss recognition of haemophilia care in South Africa. The Ministry of Health is now fully informed of our needs. We await the outcome of our discussions with the ministry from Dr Madolo, who has promised to give feed.

Thank you to all of those who travelled to Durban to attend these meetings. About 25 members from around the country (excluding KZN) travelled down. For those working on the committee’s, it is very rewarding to have the support of members.

The Haemophilia Symposium was well structured and interesting. We all learnt a lot.

The following day a workshop was conducted by Brian O’Mahoney – the chairman of the WFH showing what tools were available from the WFH to assist us in our programs. He also suggested how we could improve or start care in the areas in which we live. This was an outreach from the South African Haemophilia Foundation and the WFH to the countries invited from outside our borders

A report on these meetings will be given at the AGM.

Thanks to: The central region for sponsoring the registration

To Paul Scott who has held the position of Chairman South African Haemophilia Foundation (National) for the past 18years. Paul took over the Chair from Mr Robby Robertson, his father in law, who had initiated the process of free treatment through his negotiations with the Department of Health. He has been in the chair through many changes in availability and type of treatment to People with Haemophilia. He has followed in Robbie’s footsteps with his bulldog attitude as advocate for the right to care. We all agree that what we all accept as our right to treatment would not be available without his uncompromising persistence.

Thank you for being our Advocate. If only we had more of you imagine what we could have achieved! People with Haemophilia in South Africa owe you a debt of gratitude, which we don’t know how to repay.

May Gods Blessings be with you for Caring to the point of Doing.

Well done to Udo Knoop for achieving a gold diploma for drama, gold for advertising and silver for singing in his inter school competition. He also did well in his inter school chess tournament.

To Mr and Mrs Mphato, Congratulations on the birth of your daughter, Lesego born 1/9/99.

The next course will be held in ward 294 Seminar room on January 10^th 2000

Please phone Louise of Adele to make your booking. 011 4883294. All welcome, No cost, Bring lunch.

The Haemophilia Clinic is closed for full assessments during December. You may still collect scripts and come in with emergencies. After hours please go to casualty. The staff there will contact the Paediatric Consultant on call or the Haematologist on call if they need advice.

This just leaves us to wish you all a happy festive season and may all your dreams, through hard work and participation, come true.

Paul and Shelagh Scott celebrate 25 years of Marriage on the 13^th November. Please all share a glass of champagne with us after the AGM to congratulate them and to thank them for their service to our community over the past 18years. Do please make an effort to attend. We hope making the time early will be conducive to you all and we shall be finished in one hour!

Please send your email address to vchamberlain@corp.anglogold.com