A new initiative will be launched at WCN 2011 in Vancouver: during the President's Dinner on Monday 11 April, an auction will collect funds for the victims of the disaster in Japan. The help will be coordinated by the Japanese Society of Nephrology.

Items for the auction have been donated by ISN Councillors and Executive Committee members, our Canadian hosts and many other ISN supporters.

We hope to be able to provide the maximum support to our Japanese colleagues through this initiative, and look forward to it becoming a tradition during future WCNs.

You may have read it on The Economist: VANCOUVER is still the most liveable city in the world. The Canadian city topped a "liveability survey" of 140 cities, as it did in 2008.

The ranking scores each city from 0-100 on 30 factors spread across five areas: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Vancouver's average score was 98—0.8 less than last year—but the margins at the top are all tight, with the best ten cities scoring over 96. 

Through onPeak, our official housing partner, we are providing reduced hotel rates and travel discounts for planning your stay in Vancouver. Save money and book with ease through the simple-to-use reservation website or with helpful and friendly booking agents. 

Just click on this link: http://wcn2011.org/accommodation 

PLEASE NOTE: Although other companies pose as official vendors of World Congress of Nephrology, please note that onPeak is the exclusive official hotel/travel partner of World Congress of Nephrology. We cannot guarantee room rates or availability by any other company or representative, and hotel reservations made through any company other than onPeak are at the exclusive risk of the individual.

The Latin American Society for Nephrology & Hypertension (SLANH) is a regional nephrology society with 22 affiliated national societies and over 7000 affiliated and active members. It improves prevention, diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease by advancing education in Latin America.

This year, it has been dedicated to improving scholarship policy, Continuing Medical Education programs and increase contact with national societies. In February, during the SLANH Executive Committee and the presidents of national societies of nephrology meeting in Panama, the Istanbul Declaration on transplant tourism and organ trafficking was approved and signed by all present.

The SLANH Committee of Bone and Mineral Metabolism has developed a Continuing Medical Education Interactive Course aimed at Latin American nephrologists and entitled Bone and mineral metabolism in Chronic Kidney Disease. It is supported by an unrestricted grant from Abbott Laboratories. The first module is now accessible online.

 The Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology has just held a highly successful Annual Scientific Meeting in Perth, Australia. Upon reflection, the meeting embraced the themes of the upcoming World Congress in Nephrology – Sustainability and Diversity.

Keynote speakers included the ISN’s Secretary General Adeera Levin, Thomas Coffman, Peter Stenvinkel, and Frans Claas. Keynote addresses focused on the evidence base for our practice in chronic and end-stage kidney disease, maximizing opportunities and outcomes in kidney transplantation and novel research into inflammation and the renin-angiotensin system in progressive renal disease.

 Hence diversity of interests and practice was well catered for. Canada, the host country of the WCN has much in common with Australia. We both have large countries, dispersed populations and challenges facing our indigenous populations. Sustainability in the delivery of services to support the care of patients with CKD resulting in equity of outcome requires collaborative effort. Nephrologists in Australia and New Zealand are very much looking forward to the WCN scientific program. It promises to be highly relevant to nephrology in our countries.

Renal replacement therapy in Uruguay (RRT) began to spread rapidly after the creation of the National Found of Resources (NFR) in 1980. The NFR supports the treatment by dialysis and renal transplantation for all patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the country.

The Uruguayan Registry of Dialysis (URD) started its activity in 1981 and is at the moment a mandatory Registry that includes all the patients who receive chronic dialysis treatment in the country. UDR outlined its mission and objectives since it was created.

The mission

The first ISN Nexus Symposium in Asia was entitled Kidney and the Vascular System: Emerging Culprits in Pathogenesis and Advances in Therapy  was held in Kyoto from April 15 to 18, 2010. A total of 966 participants attended the event and it ended with great success.

A new nephrology society, called 'FRONT-J (Forum of Researchers on Nephrology and Translational Medicine in Japan) has now been launched with more than 150 of the most active, top young Japanese nephrologists (from 40 to 55 years old). This group initiated its own website where the members can communicate and share useful information such as clinical studies, educational slides.  They can also use open resources (research materials). An English version of this site will be available in a month so that foreign nephrologists can access this site and hopefully communicate within members and utilize open resources.

Contributing to the global advancement of nephrology is one of the leading considerations of this group. Such a glass-root movement is important to support ISN’s mission.

We are thrilled, as the Canadian Society of Nephrology and Canadians, to be hosting  the WCN 2011.  The meeting  is focusing on sustainability and diversity in kidney care. The scientific program will emphasize how renal science and healthcare must be tailored to the unique and diverse needs of patients and clinicians around the world.

It is important that we develop sustainable and diverse approaches to clinical care, research and policy development throughout the world. The meeting will will also highlight the ecological awareness of green initiatives to reduce our impact on our planet, as people and as medical professionals. The conference is taking place in Vancouver, Canada: a city known for its cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity; and Canada as a country known as a ‘mosaic’, celebrating diversity within a national framework of collaboration.

We would encourage you, as members of the international community of nephrologists,  to feel free to contribute to this blog site. We forsee that the blogs will be short notes from around the world which:

• Tell us how you or your region are involved in the issues surrounding the theme of WCN 2011 and how you are working to develop more diversity and sustainability in kidney research and healthcare.
• Tell us about what interests you in the  program as posted, and what you hope to learn at this conference.
• Tell us about yourself, as a young  or established nephrologist,
• Share your opinion on how nephrology has evolved so far and what you think is in store for the future.
• Tell us know how you are contributing to the development of nephrology in your region and worldwide. If you are actively involved in ISN’s activities or programs, let us know how you think this makes a difference.

We look forward to sharing the excitement of the meeting over the next months, with regular blogs from many of you: through this exercise we hope to create new friendship and relationships that can be developed further in person when you meet in Vancouver!

This July, registration will open for the 2011 World Congress of Nephrology (WCN) marking the start of the run-up to one of the world’s leading educational events in nephrology. The International Society of Nephrology and the Canadian Society of Nephrology are excited about hosting this congress next year, focusing on sustainability and diversity in renal care and research.

Building partnerships across regions and disciplines is a sustainable way to improve care for kidney patients and increase knowledge in less fortunate countries. Developing diverse collaborations means that every perspective of kidney disease can be taken into account. Sharing the latest research and information between different communities will also lead to advancing nephrology around the world.

The WCN 2010 blog has been set up as a forum not only to talk about what’s in store for next year’s congress but also spark discussions on sustainability and diversity. We want to hear from you: WCN speakers, future congress participants and nephrologists worldwide. How are you working to increase sustainability and diversity in kidney research and healthcare? If you would like to receive a login to contribute to the WCN blog, contact: shorspool@isn-online.org

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