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September 23, 2005
Dear Colleagues,
Of course the issues ASH has confronted during the relocation of our annual meeting have been trivial compared to the tragedy that the city of New Orleans and its people have experienced. Yet what the ASH staff was able to achieve in a week and a half was remarkable – organizing what will be a successful meeting in Atlanta, GA, December 10-13, 2005.
Just about every potential city you can imagine was carefully considered. We had hoped to keep our meeting at its original time, but the compromises that would have been required were too great. It became clear that the opportunity to have the full facilities of Atlanta, one week later, both the convention center and all hotels, was our best option. ASH is grateful to the city of Atlanta for being so flexible in accommodating our meeting on such short notice.
I am impressed by the support and flexibility of our members. I am proud to say that even under these difficult circumstances, we will be able to offer you the same high-quality meeting you have come to expect from ASH. Over 96% of our 249 invited speakers will be at the meeting in Atlanta. All of the speakers for the Ham-Wasserman and E. Donnall Thomas Lectures, the ASH-ASCO Symposium, the Plenary Policy Forum, and the Presidential Symposium have confirmed their participation.
ASH is working to implement a response to help the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. In particular, the Society is committed to doing something in response to the challenges now faced by our trainees, members, and patients in those areas hardest hit. More details will be posted on our Web site in the coming weeks, so I encourage you to visit www.hematology.org frequently for more information. I hope this will be a membership-wide effort to help those in need.
Please keep the Announcement of Meeting brochure that we mailed to you in August for reference – the meeting is virtually the same, just a different date and location. The few changes will be noted in the updated program on our Web site. But also keep this brochure, with its lovely cover scene of the Mississippi riverboat, to remind you of what our meeting in New Orleans could have been, and what it will be when ASH returns to New Orleans in the future.
Sincerely,
James N. George, M.D.
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