Third Congress of theWUWHS

We have been invited by the Editors of the

International Wound Journal to provide an

editorial in preparation for Congress 2008. As

the Chair and Co-Chairs of the congress we are

delighted that the IWJ chose to add an

additional copy of the journal in support of

the many initiatives of the congress. We are

also pleased that the cover of the Journal was

changed to red, the conference colour, to

recognize the importance of our Congress.

Firstly let us provide a warm welcome to all

readers who will shortly be in Toronto. And

to all of you unable to attend – we will miss

you!

Much activity has taken place in the past 4

years and in particular the past few months to

get prepared for the congress. To all involved

we thank you and look forward to an exciting

event, meeting old friends and a well deserved

holiday post congress.

The third meeting of the World Union of

Wound Healing Societies is truly a partnership

between the University of Toronto, Women’s

College Hospital, wound care associations and

wound care publishers. Industry has contrib-

uted significantly through unrestricted educa-

tional grants.

As individuals, we all participate in the

creation and dissemination of wound care

knowledge. We all share the common problem

of preventing and treating wounds. Collabo-

ratively, we can provide a unified voice for the

development of wound care as a clinical multi-

professional specialty. That is ‘One Problem –

One Voice’.

Congress 2008 provides a forum for the

dissemination of evidence informed practice

on a global basis. Through the efforts of many

of the participating organizations the World

Union has initiated the collection, review and

dissemination of the evidence base for wound

care on an international basis.

The primary goal of Congress 2008 and the

World Union of Wound Healing Societies is to

present the wound care evidence base, provide

expert knowledge and transfer the knowledge,

skills, and attitudes for improved patient

outcomes. Included will be the alignment of

evidence-based medicine to ‘‘Evidence

Informed Transdisciplinary Practice’’ that fits

the clinical needs of practitioners caring for

persons with wounds.

Treating acute and chronic wounds is an

ongoing challenge for health care professionals

in all parts of the world. Social, economic and

technological differences, however, can create

a vast divide in global approaches to wound

care.

Congress 2008 embraces the multicultural,

multidisciplinary nature of its audience and

provides an opportunity not only to network

but also to work together for the benefit of all

wound healers on a global basis. This will be

accomplished through a preconference day,

four plenary presentations, and 10 concurrent

streams with 100 educational sessions, a sum-

mary of which is presented in this Congress

edition.

For the last three years, we have been

working on a web-based initiative to link

wound care evidence and expert knowledge.

The website will be presented in a ‘just in

time’ format for improved patient care. The

evidence summaries created will also be

presented to each delegate on Sunday in the

form of a CD. They will also be freely

accessible on the website (WoundPedia). This

is not a one-time effort, but a continued

collaboration of the World Union and our

partners. Under the stewardship of Professor

R. Gary Sibbald, during his tenure as Presi-

dent, the initiative will be a legacy of the

WUWHS. This is not the end, merely the

beginning!

EDITORIAL

122 ª 2008 The Authors. Journal Compilation ª 2008 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and Medicalhelplines.com Inc • International Wound Journal • Vol 5 No 2

As a global community of wound care

specialists, we need to share our insights, data,

and awareness of common wound care con-

cerns and solutions. When we do this, we can

build new initiatives to advance wound care

practices and to improve patient outcomes

globally. Your experience matters, so we are

counting on your active participation. Don’t be

shy - we all have much to contribute. Your

experience is our experience! It can make

a difference in the lives of persons with

wounds somewhere in the world.

R. Gary Sibbald, Elizabeth A. Ayello and

Heather L. Orsted

ª 2008 The Authors. Journal Compilation ª 2008 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and Medicalhelplines.com Inc 123

Editorial