Dear ICCS Member(present or potential):

It is certainly an august privilege for me to serve as President ofthe ICCS, since being nominated by the Board and then elected by the membershiplast fall.  Having served as aBoard member these last 4 years, and being intimately involved with programmingfor the postgraduate course in Tampa in March 2006, and the biennial meeting in Boston, I have full knowledge of the organization’s history and modus operandi,and feel qualified to serve effectively in this capacity..

As you know, theICCS was the brainchild of Kelm Hjalmas, Jens Peter Norgaard and Jens ChristianDjuhuus almost 20 years ago.  Atthe time, this trio realized urinary incontinence in children was a seriousproblem that was only beginning to be addressed, albeit in a haphazardfashion.  They noted it to be notmerely a regional but a worldwide issue that demanded a strong, unified voicethat could identify, investigate and manage its many ramifications.  From these nascent thoughts sprang theidea of the International Children’s Continence Society.  Under their initial leadership manyindividuals from various disciplines came together to talk about the causes andtreatment of this condition.  Asthe baton was passed, others in Europe assumed the leadership and expanded thepresence of the organization. Subsequently, CK Yeung steered the ICCS in new directions expanding itsbreadth and influence.  Now theSociety has asked me to lead it for the next several years.  I am truly humbled to do so.

Having spent morethan 30 years in academic pediatric urology I can easily say this is THE ONLYsociety that speaks for all forms of incontinence in children.  It has the distinct feature ofattracting many diverse pediatric health care providers who have a scientificand clinical interest, to come together and speak openly in a collegial andstimulating forum where the aim is to enhance the care of these affectedchildren.

My goals aspresident are to promote the ideals that further the science and foster the dialoguebetween all investigators and medical providers with an interest inincontinence in children.  I wantto continue the work of all past presidents and board members to make ourorganization more multi-faceted and multi-cultural, where everyone speaks acommon language and where free discourse contributes to a stimulating exchangeof ideas.  Only then can we goforward and truly make a difference in the world of pediatric incontinence.

At this point Iwould like to acknowledge the efforts one person in particular, Tryggve Neveusour distinguished secretary.  Hehas done a superb job in organizing and maintaining the website, making it asinteractive as possible, and keeping members abreast of current activities andnew developments.  His monthlylisting and review of published articles is an important addition to theservices provided by the ICCS.  Heepitomizes what the ICCS is striving to achieve.  Under his direction, a series of standardization documentsdealing with all aspects of incontinence are in the process of being completedand published.  When finished,these publications should serve as the standard for identifying the pathology,defining the investigation, laying the groundwork for interpretation andpromoting the treatment options for incontinence in children.

As President, Iwelcome your thoughts. I am open to innovative ideas, comments and suggestionsyou may have regarding the future direction of our organization.  I urge you to visit the website oftenand be as interactive as possible with the Board and me.  Remember, we are here to serve you.

Sincerely,

Stuart Bauer, MD

stuart.bauer@childrens.harvard.edu

April 27, 2009