Abstract
Situated on the Vistula River, Old Torun is truly a scenic and magnificent city. Here the old resides comfortably with the new; the technological conveniences of modern life are enjoyed against the backdrop of imposing cathedrals and palaces dating back to medieval times. The contrast is particularly striking for a Connecticut Yankee who has never had an opportunity, at least in his adult life, to venture across the pond to Europe.
The Belwar Hotel, in which the conference was held, is an excellent example of this melding of the old and the new. Although it abuts Old Torun, the hotel, striking in its modernity, seems nonetheless to be a perfect fit. It is a reflection of the city, itself: Contemporary, yet inextricably connected to a rich heritage and a proud history.
In a very real sense, breastfeeding medicine is also such a melding of the old and the new. There can be no practice more ancient, or more conducive to health, than breastfeeding. It is as old as the species itself. Artificial milk feeding of infants has emerged only very recently in human history, in hardly more than the blink of a metaphorical eye. Today, physician breastfeeding advocates, such as those who met last month in Torun, are striving to restore the timeless practice of breastfeeding to its rightful place within the world of modern medicine. The old adage is true: Everything old is new again.
Two Academy members must be recognized for making the conference such a resounding success. Elien Rouw sits on the board of directors and has been involved in organizing all three conferences in Europe. These conferences would not have been possible without her steadfast commitment and dedication. Urszula Bernatowicz-Lojko, also an ABM member and a neonatologist living in Torun, was likewise indispensable in making the third European conference so successful. We owe a great debt of gratitude to these two energetic physicians, and we should be proud to count them in the ranks of our members.
The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine is, and always has been, an international organization. But globalization cannot happen by a top-down directive. It must come from the ground up, from large numbers of members outside of the United States, taking action at the regional level to enable the Academy to fulfill its global imperative.
The challenge is to do so in a manner that is seamlessly integrated with Academy policies, procedures, and operations. Development of regional conferences is a complex matter and requires careful planning, not only at the local level, but at the transnational level, as well. We are very fortunate to have a committee, ably chaired by Dr. Wendy Broddribb, that is actively engaged in revising our regional conference guidelines to ensure that all logistical, legal, and accounting issues are adequately addressed beforehand.
Dr. Rouw has said on many occasions that everything that the Academy does is by its nature international, because the Academy itself is international. In everything that we do, whether it be in the domain of advocacy, protocol development, fundraising, certification, or anything else, we must constantly bear in mind the international context within which we make our decisions. To behave otherwise would constitute a grave betrayal of our mission.