James P. Waddell, M.D., FRCSC
Coordinator, Canadian National Action Network
Toronto, ON

There have been several recent developments with regard to the Bone & Joint Decade initiative in Canada. Unfortunately, the cancellation of the COA meeting in Toronto impacted our plans for a meeting with several individuals within the Canadian Orthopaedic Association and the Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation with regard to continued support from those organizations for the initiative. Fortunately, the rescheduled meeting in Winnipeg will give us an opportunity to present to the Board of the Foundation and, hopefully, to the Executive or the full Board of the Association the initiative’s future plans.  

Photo taken at the Toronto Hip Hip Hooray walk, June 2003. On the left (seated) Ms. Hazel Wood; Drs. James P. Waddell, Robert B. Salter and Allan E. Gross - all staunch supporters of Hip Hip Hooray and the Bone & Joint Decade!

Although the SARS situation in Toronto also significantly impacted the Hip Hip Hooray walk; the Bone & Joint Decade was well represented at the Toronto walk; and hopefully other walk sites across Canada in cities more fortunate than Toronto were successful in their fundraising activities. The photograph accompanying this article demonstrates our desk at the Toronto walk.

The National Action Network has formed a stronger and continuing alliance with the Arthritis Society, the Canadian Arthritis Network and arthritis patient advocacy organizations. We will be forming a similar alliance, it is hoped, with the Osteoporosis Society to help to address many issues in osteoporosis that require coordination of care for these patients.

Ms. Dot Brown from the University of Calgary, who works with Dr. Cyril B. Frank and is associated with IMHA, is assisting Ms. Hazel Wood in putting together a Bone & Joint Decade newsletter. Hazel is an occupational therapist by training and has been contracted by the National Action Network for the Bone & Joint Decade to provide coordination and direction for our activities. Both these individuals have made a world of difference in terms of moving our agenda forward.

Finally, we have not abandoned the hopes of some corporate sponsorship for our initiative. We are actively in discussion with Stryker-Osteonics-Howmedica and Pfizer Pharmaceutical. The addition of corporate support would allow us to greatly expand our activities.