Welcome to IMHO USA

Another year, another successful event—IMHO held its 7th Semi-Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland on Saturday, October 16, 2010 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront. With so much to share this year about our growth and the diversification of our efforts, we were proud to welcome several speakers to highlight the unique work that IMHO does. Our speakers this year included Dr. Nitin Puri, a Board member for the Dr. Henri Gerard Desgranges Foundation which runs a medical clinic and school in Petit-Goave, Haiti. Earlier this year our IMHO Secretary, Dr. Thambipillai, volunteered with this organization in Haiti. IMHO is now serving as their fiscal sponsor and has provided support to transport an ambulance donated here in the US to Haiti.

Continuing on our theme of highlighting efforts in new countries, we next heard from Dr. Meles Asfaw, Chairman of the Amhara Development Association of North America (ADANA), an organization committed to improving the wellbeing of the people of the Amhara Region in Northwest Ethiopia. IMHO has partnered with the Amhara Development Association in Ethiopia for our upcoming 2-week volunteer medical mission.

Other speakers for the day included Dr. Ananthakumar, Committee Member of the SJC87 Scholarship Initiative in Sri Lanka, and Dr. Alice LoCicero, Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology (Sri Lanka). Dr. Ananthakumar spoke about the need for serving the educational needs and overall wellbeing of the children affected and displaced by the war in Sri Lanka. He highlighted some of their educational and therapeutic efforts, especially those utilizing art as a form of expression and recovery. With extensive experience volunteering in Sri Lanka and working with those affected by trauma, Dr. LoCicero offered her unique perspectives on “Psychological Trauma & Mental Health Issues amongst Patients in Mannar”. Earlier this year IMHO made mental a top priority for 2010, and hearing Dr. LoCicero’s presentation further drove home the point that mental health is crucial to the personal and communal recovery and wellbeing of the people of Sri Lanka.

From our own IMHO Team, we also heard from Dr. S. Nanthakumar (IMHO Secretary), Mr. Jegan Thambiaiyah (newly appointed IMHO Lanka Director), & Dr. Mrs. Lali Thambiaiyah (IMHO volunteer) about IMHO’s accomplishments in 2010 and current & future efforts. The meeting was concluded with a riveting and always fun saree auction, in which $3,500 was raised thanks to the generosity of the 70+ persons in attendance. We were also very pleased to have representatives from the following pharmaceutical sponsors present, all of whom help make this event possible each and every year: Glaxo Smith Kline, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Sanofi Aventis, Takeda, Diechi Sankyo, Lilly, Auxillium, Pfizer, Amlin, AstraZenaca, Forest, Kowa, Nova Nortis, and Satarus. Thank you to all who attended, spoke, and helped sponsor this exciting event! We are very pleased to be able to share our continued growth and important work with you.

You can find all presentations from this meeting available to view & download HERE. And a photo gallery of the event is available HERE.