Statement from the Board President
Dear Members, Partners and other valued stakeholders:
As you know, COVID-19 has significantly impacted how organizations operate all around the world. Many of our 165 dermatology patient organizations are experiencing an increased demand for support from their patients while at the same time balancing new financial, human resources and logistical challenges. It is therefore more important than ever that GlobalSkin continues to offer the best in class resources and support to its patient leader community. In this way, we will address existing and emerging needs while also helping our members adjust and thrive in this new normal.
Early COVID19 response
Early in the pandemic, we surveyed our Member organizations to determine their greatest needs and to identify the best ways we could help. Our efforts include the creation of an online COVID-19 Resources page available to our Members and the public with up-to-date information for general health, disease-specific information, important COVID-19 registries, and much more. We have also hosted three COVID-19 Virtual Townhalls (for members only) featuring a variety of dermatology and epidemiological experts helping to answer the tough questions we are all facing at this time.
Travel and In-Person events
With these dramatic worldwide changes, GlobalSkin is working to continue delivering opportunities for members to learn, collaborate and network while also ensuring this is done safely. As an organization that is focused on patients, we feel an added responsibility to conduct ourselves in a manner that protects the health of our community members. As such, GlobalSkin’s Board of Directors recently passed a motion to extend its organizational travel restrictions, which were put in place in March, to continue through to the end of 2020. This effectively shifts all GlobalSkin in-person events (including community workshops/fora) to an online format for the remainder of the year.
GlobalSkin 2021 Conference deferred
In looking a bit further into the future, the GlobalSkin Board also passed a motion to shift the GlobalSkin 2021 Conference – our biennial global patient leader event – to a virtual format (date still to be determined). Following the virtual event, an in-person conference will be planned in 2022, if conditions are safe for patient leaders to travel and come together.
Virtual event platform
For our upcoming virtual events, we will be using a new conference platform that allows event attendees to have a rich, interactive and valuable experience. We will stay in touch as more details become available for our events.
If you have any questions, please contact our CEO Christine Janus or anyone on her team.
Wishing you, your families, patient communities and colleagues good health.
Sincerely,
Simmie Smith
IADPO Board President