newsnews IALThe International Association of Laryngectomees Vol. 54 No. 3 • September 2009 RememberingRemembering BeautifulBeautiful SanSan MateoMateo Two hundred and twenty registered participants attended Sixteen additional sessions including one on swimming the International Association of Laryngectomees 58th Annual and other water activities were available on Friday. And the Meeting and 49th Voice Institute held from June Voice Institute 24-27 in San Mateo, California. There had been traveled to Stan- concern that the Swine Flu scare and the state ford University of the economy would keep the numbers down. In the pool for the hands-on Congratulations are in order to Vice Presi- clinic where la- dent Bob Herbst and the members of the Annual Meeting ryngectomee volunteers received professional care includ- Committee, Voice Institute Director Dr. Jeff Searl, Execu- ing free TEP prostheses changes, the op- tive Director Susan Reeves, IAL officers and Board of Di- portunity to try hands-free valves, etc. rectors, Auxiliary, speakers, vendors and local club sponsors Special thanks to ATOS Medical and In- for making the Meeting and Institute a triumph. The Nu health Technologies which provided the Voice Club of San Francisco was the host club this year, clinical materials, product samples and and was assisted by the Marin, San Mateo and Santa Rosa technical assistance. clubs. Friday evening was topped off by a “Fun Evening” fea- The Annual Meeting kicked off on Wednesday night turing kara- Joe “The Pimp” Marasco with the traditional Meet and Greet reception, sponsored this oke singing, a and the “California Girls” year by Inhealth Technologies. It was very cool as the breeze return of the blew from the ocean in the evening, but built-in heaters in “ C a l i f o r n i a the patio area let all know that this was common for this Girls” and more Northern California climate. fun activities. Meet and Greet Reception Saturday morning provided attendees The opening session on Thursday morning featured co- with a choice of nine sessions while the Delegates Meet- inventor of the TEP prosthesis and puncture surgical proce- ing took place (see article on page 3). Saturday evening pro- dure, Mark Singer, MD, as the keynote speak- vided the climax of the Annual Meeting with the reception, er. Rehabilitation case studies and a medical banquet and dance. We had what many remarked was the panel followed. Sixteen sessions were offered best DJ ever as many attendees partied and danced late into in the afternoon including on all three ma- the evening. jor methods of alaryngeal speech, and topics ranging from swallowing issues to those of Dancing the night away Dr. Singer special interests to veterans and spouses. On Friday morning a second general session was sched- uled for both AM and VI attendees. It featured Itzhak Brook, MD. Dr. Brook (see article on page 4) is a medical doctor who faced his own battle with larynx cancer and becoming a laryngectomee. Dr. Brook is a new voice speaking out for the improvement of medical care generally, but especially that for larynx cancer patients. Blom-Singer ™ HME System Heat and moisture exchange for laryngectomees We’ve Given It Just The Right Touch. The EasyTouch™ Speech Button. The EasyTouch™ speech button represents an innovative step forward in HME technology—because it makes stoma occlusion simple. Users need only press it with minimal, manual force and it closes to produce voice. e feeling is definite. Release the EasyTouch button and it instantly returns to its open, breathing position. Plus, our integrated MucusShield ™ occluder provides protection to the HumidiFilter® foam filter from mucus secretions. And it creates an air-tight seal closure for speech. The new Blom-Singer HME System consists of a fully assembled, daily- disposable HME cartridge and a Blom-Singer TruSeal® adhesive housing (sold separately). CLOSED OPEN e new Blom-Singer HME System. Breathe healthy. Speak confidently. Learn more about the new Blom-Singer HME System by visiting our web site www.inhealth.com Call us today to place an order at (800) 477-5969 080105.03 © July 2009 InHealth Technologies, A Division of Helix Medical, LLC U.S. PATENT 7,025,784 © December 2007 International Healthcare Technologies, A Division of Helix Medical, LLC U.S. PATENT 7,025,784 Delegates Meeting G Thirty-six clubs were represented at the Delegates Meet- Breaking News ing held on Saturday, June 27, 2009. Thirty-one U.S. clubs were joined by those from five other countries. Reports were given by President Tina Long, Vice President Bob Herbst, Treasurer Sapp Funderburk, Secretary Terrie Hall (provid- It’s Louisville in 2010! Blom-Singer ™ ing the Auxiliary report), and the chairs of nine standing and Mark your calendars right now and plan to join us special committees also provided progress reports (see the at the 2010 IAL Annual Meeting and Voice Institute Minutes on the web site, www.TheIAL.com). in the Louisville, Kentucky area. The Annual Meeting HME System will begin on June 17th and goes through the 19th. The Voice Institute begins one Heat and moisture exchange day earlier on the 16th. for laryngectomees The headquarters hotel is the Holiday Inn Lakeview in Clarksville, Indiana, which is right across the Ohio River from Louisville. At least one of the hosting local clubs is the Hoosier Anamilo Club. Board members answer questions at Delegates Meeting Plan now on joining fel- Four Bylaw amendments were presented. One, which low laryngectomees, caregivers, medical personnel and called for the removal of the table of club dues from the vendors in another terrific IAL AM/VI in the heartland Bylaws failed, although another to raise club dues passed. of America. An amendment which sought to remove the immediate past president from automatically serving on the Board passed, while another to reduce the size of the Board to eleven mem- bers failed. Two candidates for Board positions ran successfully for re-election (Tom Herring and Philip Doyle), and two new news individuals also won (Torbjorn Bull-Njaa, and Wade Hamp- IAL ton). Bob Herbst was elected to the post of Vice President We’ve Given It Just The Right Touch. The IAL News is published four times per year by The EasyTouch™ Speech Button. the International Association of Laryngectomees. The information provided in the IAL News is not The EasyTouch™ speech button represents an innovative step forward in intended as a substitute for professional medical HME technology—because it makes stoma occlusion simple. Users need help or advice, but only as an aid in understanding only press it with minimal, manual force and it closes to produce voice. problems experienced by laryngectomees and the state of current medical knowledge. A physician or e feeling is definite. Release the EasyTouch button and it instantly returns to its open, breathing position. other qualified healthcare provider should always be consulted for any health problem or medical ™ Plus, our integrated MucusShield occluder provides protection to the condition. HumidiFilter® foam filter from mucus secretions. And it creates an air-tight Mary Jane Renner administers the oath of office to Board The IAL does not endorse any treatment or seal closure for speech. members Torbjorn Bull-Njaa, Tom Herring, Wade Hampton, product that may be mentioned in this publication. Philip Doyle, and Vice President Bob Herbst. The new Blom-Singer HME System consists of a fully assembled, daily- Please consult your physician and/or speech/ disposable HME cartridge and a Blom-Singer TruSeal® adhesive housing language pathologist before using any treatment or (sold separately). CLOSED OPEN Check your Contact Info product. The U.S. club listings are now on the e new Blom-Singer HME System. Breathe healthy. Speak confidently. The opinions expressed in the IAL News new web site. Please review your club are those of the authors and may not represent information on www.TheIAL.com under the policies of the International Association of Learn more about the new Blom-Singer HME System Club Resources and then Club Search. Click on the map on by visiting our web site www.inhealth.com Laryngectomees. your state. The IAL clubs listing is the method many new As a charitable organization, as described in Call us today to place an order at (800) 477-5969 laryngectomees use to connect with us all. So please send IRS 501 (c) (3), the International Association of corrections to: [email protected]. Thanks to Laryngectomees is eligible to receive tax-deductible 080105.03 © July 2009 InHealth Technologies, A Division of Helix Medical, LLC U.S. PATENT 7,025,784 Database Manager Tom Herring and Webmaster Ron Le- contributions in accordance with IRS 170. © December 2007 International Healthcare Technologies, A Division of Helix Medical, LLC U.S. PATENT 7,025,784 Clair who perform this important work. h3g difficult to express emotions or alter the intensity of my Rediscovering My Voice speech. My lifestyle also changed: I avoided noisy restau- Itzhak Brook, MD, MSc rants, large gatherings, and many other social situations, I love to teach. As an infectious disease physician for People often hung up when I used the telephone; one person more than 35 years, I have spent many hours with medical later apologized for thinking I was prank caller. students and physicians, making rounds, discussing patients, I badly wanted to use my voice as I did before, but I had and reviewing diagnoses. It has been so gratifying to see new serious doubts. I wasn’t sure I would ever be able to speak in and future physicians learn the art and science of medicine. public again, let alone return to teaching and lecturing. When I gave my first lecture 30 years ago, I recall being I was both elated and terrified when I gave my first talk self-conscious of my Israeli-inflected accent.