Austria

The 40th Anniversary of ILCO Österreich in Vienna

At least 150 ostomates, some of them with the husband or the wife or with a son or a daughter, wanted to rally round their Association for its 40th Anniversary. And that was already an expression of affection for the Association which did not make them to feel alone and that gave them the confidence to be supported when they need and also the possibility to know other ostomates and other friends. But, really, let’s not forget, behind any organization, especially behind the voluntary associations, there are always people and their thank was directed to all the persons who leaded ILCO Österreich during its 40 years of life: now, they are Susanne Deimel and Margit Kirnbauer (respectively president and secretary of ILCO Österreich) above all, but also the other helping persons like Gerda Karner (president of the Vienna’s club) and all the others that I do not know.

The ceremony for the Anniversary was very well organized, of course, and there were greetings and speeches of important surgeons friends of ILCO, of stoma therapists, a greeting of Jon Thorkelson (treasurer of EOA) for the European Ostomy Association, but above all Susanne Deimel and Margit Kirnbauer described us the organization and the history of ILCO.

ILCO Österreich took about 30 years to reach also the small towns of Austria opening local clubs there, and Austria now is no more a large country. It means, once more, that the work for the association requires long and long time. We must have patience but also be working regularly and without rush. The short period is not the right key to evaluate the progress of a voluntary association. At the end, a personal grateful word for Susanne Deimel and Margit Kirnbauer: they were wonderful, not only as organizers, but especially for the affection and friendship that they demonstrated us, the delegates from the foreigner ostomy associations invited for the Anniversary which was so pleasant thanks the personal friendship of Susanne Deimel, Margit Kirnbauer and their husbands and of all the other participants who gave the general atmosphere of those two beautiful days.

Thank you ILCO, thank you friends, thank you Austria.

Giuseppe De Salvo,
Vice president EOA,
treasurer FAIS (Italian Ostomy Association)