It was with great pride that the CHS learned that the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) had granted the 2022 Hemophilia Organization Twins of the Year Award to the Serbian Hemophilia Society – CHS Manitoba Chapter partnership.
The WFH Hemophilia Organization Twinning Committee mentioned that the Serbia-Manitoba partnership stood out from an impressive pool of candidates due to the scope of activities undertook in 2022.
The Serbia-Manitoba Chapter twinning was established in 2020 and has grown to be a very successful and enriching partnership despite the Covid-19 pandemic that struck right as it began.
By the end of 2022, they were able to meet in person, in September 2022, and had embarked on a strategic planning process to identify patient engagement, fundraising and research as priority areas. They also put together a General Assembly, a workshop for women and girls with bleeding disorders, youth engagement and motivation workshops, as well as support and educational groups for ageing with bleeding disorders. Quite an accomplishment!
Building on their success in 2022, the twins have already achieved major partnership milestones in 2023, and the rest of the year promises to see even more great projects come to fruition.
The twins met via zoom in early March 2023. This meeting allowed for a new action plan to be implemented. Emicizumab is now available to Serbian patients and the transition is going well. Plans for the remainder of the year include an important meeting in August which Milena Pirnat of the Manitoba Chapter will be attending and making a presentation. In October, a youth camp will be organized; between 30 and 40 youth are expected to attend. The Manitoba Chapter will be presenting virtually.
The CHS International Project Committee has always supported all twinning projects including the Serbia-Manitoba Chapter twinning partnership which embodies everything the WFH Twinning Program is meant to be. It also embodies the CHS’ desire to be globally responsible and to be the best twinning partner it can be. And it has been for more than 20 years which include eight Twins of the Year awards nationally; of these awards two involved the Manitoba Chapter and one involved the Comprehensive Hemophilia Care Centre of the Manitoba Pediatric Bleeding Disorders Program.
Congratulations to all the volunteers who have worked so hard to make the Serbia/Manitoba Chapter partnership the success that it is!
