Presidents message
As SARAA president 2001-2003 elect, I thank the organization for the honour of allowing me to serve as president. I hope that I can fulfill some of the hopes of the membership and will work hard, together with my committee to strengthen SARAA as a body, both locally and internationally for Rheumatology in South Africa. I want to take the opportunity of congratulating the Pretoria group , for organizing a superb conference, and thank then for their hard work, in particular, Dr Ingram Anderson, Dr Stan Brighton, Dr Elsa Van Duuren, Dr Andre Lubbe and Gwynne Groenewald. The conference was both an academic, as well as a social success, with visitors from many countries around the world. I thank Dr Anne Halland, outgoing president and her committee, for a job well done, especially for the work in finalizing and passing the new constitution for SARAA, taking us into the 21st century. The well known teacher and author of several books, Apley, summarized the principles of the musculoskeletal examination, as:
"Look", "Feel" and "Move".
We can adopt the same principles to the organization.
LOOK: I see a small organization that is founded of a sound base, through work of many people. An organization that is poised to grow and play a significant role in the widespread promotion of Rheumatology and the Rheumatic diseases to patients and doctors throughout South Africa. I see a more united body, with people of determination, who want to grow the organization through the many challenges that face us.
FEEL: I feel a passion for Rheumatology, that was ingrained in me by great teachers, in particular Prof O.L Meyers, founder of Rheumatology in South Africa, for whom I owe so much and for whom I have a great respect. I feel a potential for tremendous growth of the organization. I feel the same passion in many others.
MOVE: I suggest we move forward at pace. The bone and joint decade is already well under way, and we have much to do. We require to harness resources from Government, Industry and ourselves, to make a practical difference in our academic centers, clinics and practices.
To do so we need an end to apathy, and involvement by all. We need communication and constructive debate but even more we need action.
I am not a political person, and may well be considered naive, but I call on everyone to pull together and rise to the task.
I hope to meet all expectations, but I can say that to do so, will need assistance, and call on all the membership to help me help you.
Cape Town
2001
