AAWC News

Welcome to AAWC News for May 2014. If you are currently a member of the AAWC, please share this information with nonmember colleagues and encourage them to join. Our members include more than 2,200 wound care professionals and others dedicated to the advancement of wound care.

AAWC 2014 Board of Directors Election

The AAWC is fortunate to have had a wonderful slate of candidates. The following individuals have transitioned to new roles: Vickie R. Driver, MSc, DPM, FACFAS — AAWC President; Teresa Conner-Kerr, PT, PhD, CWS, CLT — President-Elect; and Heather Hettrick, PT, PhD, CWS, CLT — Treasurer. The Association grateful acknowledges Robert J. Snyder, DPM, MSc, CWS for his service as President and looks forward to his continued efforts as the Immediate Past President.   Re-elected to a second term are: Joy E. Schank, RN, MSN, ANP, CWOCN — Consumer; Renee Cordrey, PT, PhD(c), MSPT, MPH, CWS — Member-At-Large; and C. Tod Brindle, MSN, RN, CWOCN — Nurse.

The AAWC welcomes new Board members Hollie Smith Mangrum, PT, DPT, CWS — Physical Therapist Board Member; and Jan Apelgvist, MD, PhD — International Position for a 1-year term. Board members started their 2014–2016 term at the AAWC Celebration of Membership Meeting held at SAWC Spring on April 25.

With special appreciation, we recognize our retired Board Members: Elliot Pollack, DPM, FACFAS, CWS — International Board Member, 2012–2014; and Terry Treadwell, MD, FACS —Immediate Past President, 2012–2014. A special thank-you goes to Dr. Treadwell for his 10 years of Board service.

AAWC Shire Fellowship Grants Winners

The AAWC is pleased to announce the AAWC Fellowship Grant Review Committee has awarded two $50,000 support grants for the 2014–2015 academic year. Made possible by an unrestricted grant from Shire, these grants were created to support the salary and benefits of the fellows conducting studies on wound management and research in academic, clinical, and/or research settings. The AAWC appreciates Shire’s generous support and all of our members who submitted applications.

The first grant was awarded to the North Shore-LIJ Health Care System’s Vascular Surgery/Wound Care Program. Drs. Alisha Oropallo (Chair) and Mauricio Szuchmacher (Fellow) will be working on a research project entitled, “CIRP: Biomarker in the Inflammatory State of Venous Ulcerations.”

The second grant is provided to the Providence VA Medical Center, New England Health Care Division’s RI Wound Healing and Limb Preservation Clinical Research Fellowship Program. Drs. Vickie Driver (Chair) and Sakiyna Rose (Fellow) will be working on a research project entitled, “Clinical and Economic Benefits of Using Advanced Therapy for the Treatment of Complex High Risk Wounds of the Lower Extremity in a Veteran Population.”

Volunteer Opportunities through Health Volunteers Overseas (HVO)

The AAWC is pleased to announce four volunteer Wound Care Program opportunities in Haiti and Cambodia in the coming months, as well as an opportunity to receive a $1,500 AAWC travel support grant.

Haiti, Port-Au-Prince: HVO has started a new wound care program in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, with Hospital Bernard Mevs, which specializes in pediatrics and adult care. AAWC member volunteers are needed for 1-week assignments starting May 2014. Volunteers will be involved in providing basic wound care training and continuing medical education for the Haitian clinical staff. Wound and lymphedema care is integrated into an active daily clinic, a spinal cord injury unit, and the 60-bed general hospital.

Haiti, Des Chapelles: Two volunteers are needed for 2-week assignments in Fall 2014 (September – November). Volunteers will be involved in providing basic wound care training to the nursing staff at HAS. Physicians and physical therapists also will be integrated into the training based on the volunteer’s specialty and area of training.

Cambodia, Siem Reap: Two volunteers are needed for 1- to 2-week assignments in Summer/Fall 2014 (June – November). Angkor Hospital for Children is interested in volunteers who will train physicians and nurses to improve the quality of care provided, as well as help increase their ability to offer wound and lymphedema care training to local facilities.

Cambodia, Phnom Penh: Two volunteers are needed for 1- to 2-week assignments in Summer/Fall 2014 (June – November). Sihanouk Hospital Center of Hope is an adult teaching hospital. Volunteers teach basic and advanced wound and lymphedema care, with both basic and advanced supplies.

Please contact Tony Li (t.li@hvousa.org) as soon as possible for more information about these volunteer opportunities.

In addition, AAWC grants are available. The AAWC will fund five $1,500 travel grants to offset costs for AAWC Members to travel to HVO Wound and Lymphedema project sites in 2014.

About AAWC: As the leading organization dedicated to interprofessional wound healing and tissue preservation, AAWC’s mission is to advance the care of people with and at risk for wounds. Be sure to join us for near daily updates and alerts on Facebook and LinkedIn.

This article was not subject to the Ostomy Wound Management peer-review process.