Urogynaecoloigsts, urologists, gynaecologists, physiotherapists, nurses and scientists from around the world met in Vancouver in late June for the 42nd Congress of the International Urogynecologic Association. The meeting opened on June 24th, during the Canadian celebration of Aboriginal Day, which was marked by a ceremony led by members of the Squamish Nation.
The meeting, which drew more than 1,000 attendees, included workshops, a live surgery session, state-of –the- art lectures, panel discussions, and debates, on current and controversial topics, as well as the presentation of original research. The Local Organizing Committee,chaired by Geoff Cundiff, included department members, David Quinlan, Roxana Geoffrion, May Sanaee, and Lynn Stothers. By all accounts, the meeting was a tremendous success.
The meeting also offered an excellent venue to highlight members of the UBC Department. This included State of the Art lectures by Drs. Deborah Money, Lynn Stothers, Andrew McNab, Kelsey Mills, and Geoff Cundiff. Department members who presented current research, included Sarka Lisonkova, Giulia Muraca, Chelsea Elwood, Lynn Stothers, Sarah Houlihan, and Geoff Cundiff. May Sanaee, Roxana Geoffrion, and David Quinlan served as session moderators.
Because the meeting attracted the majority of Canadians practicing Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, we took advantage of the setting to hold the inaugural meeting of a new Canadian Society of Pelvic Medicine, created to further the discipline nationally.
