Abstract
Continuing to build our future together
Dear colleagues,
It has been my honour to serve as President of the International Headache Society (IHS).
Every day, I have learned from you, and I have been truly inspired by your commitment to continue providing care for your patients even in these troubling times. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives and affected us all. My heart goes out to everyone, especially to those who have lost loved ones. Please stay safe and I hope to see you all in person very soon.
I am also filled with gratitude that you have kept the IHS going strong in the face of struggle and loss. Thanks to your efforts, we are meeting the demands of a digital age. I would therefore like to share with you some of the accomplishments that you have been responsible for in the past two years.
First, we have increased the number of IHS members by more than 200 people since 2020. This is partly attributed to the membership campaign that was launched in February 2021. A total of 124 named representatives of neurologic societies were contacted and we received an excellent response from many lower-income countries. The influx of new members from lower-income countries will help shape the IHS into a more diverse and inclusive global organization. Furthermore, it is expected that even more people will join the IHS as we get closer to IHC 2021 in September.
Second, we launched a new website in June 2020 and have subsequently created an online Learning Center and YouTube channel. The new website has averaged 31,880 page views over the past three months, compared with an average of 18,042 page views before the new website was launched. The great news is that more and more users of the new website are from countries such as Brazil, India, and Russia.
Third, we have made a concerted effort to develop our educational platform. Twenty-five videos, twelve podcasts and five webinars have been posted over the past year. The next step has already been initiated and involves creating a three-part video series on each headache disorder. Each video will have a duration of three minutes and the content will target a broad viewership that includes patients as well as health care professionals. The purpose is to provide open-access material that delivers a concise overview of the definition, prevalence, diagnostic criteria, clinical features, and therapies for each headache disorder. To underscore the global nature of the IHS, we will post the video series in a multitude of languages, such as English, Mandarin, Hindi, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, Portuguese, Turkish, German, and Italian.
Fourth, the IHS is more active than ever before on social media platforms. The IHS currently has social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. Our following has increased considerably since September 2020 and we have introduced a policy of one post per day on Twitter. Below, you will find a summary of the progress that has been made in large parts thanks to the Electronic Media Committee and Education Committee:
Twitter Followers: 4,871 (from 4,334 in Sep 2020) Facebook followers: 8,315 (from 7,641 in Sep 2020) LinkedIn followers: 1,166 (from 928 in Sep 2020) Instagram followers: 3,419 (from 2,620 in Sep 2020) YouTube subscribers: 345
To help us in raising more awareness about headache disorders, I kindly ask you to follow/subscribe to IHS' various social media accounts. This will also allow you to receive instant updates on research grants, educational activities, and career development programs that are offered by the IHS. Furthermore, it should be noted that the ‘Migraine Awareness Month’ campaign ran through June 2021.
Fifth, the IHS has decided to organize IHC 2021 in collaboration with the European Headache Federation (EHF). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, IHC 2021 will be a fully virtual event that takes place from September 8 to September 12, 2021. The main topic will be “Headache Science to Optimise Patient Care”. On behalf of EHF President Zaza Katsarava and myself, we are pleased to invite you to attend the IHC 2021 and join us for the initial Presidential Symposium on new drug targets in migraine.
Lastly, I would like to thank the Board of Trustees for their outstanding service to promote headache sciences worldwide. I would also like to thank administrative manager Carol Taylor who works tirelessly and provides invaluable assistance. Her commitment to the IHS is truly exceptional and second to none. Also, a final note of recognition and thanks to our outgoing Honorary Secretary Stefan Evers, Treasurer Wendy Thomas, and Co-Chair of the Education Committee Allan Purdy. They have been a source of energy and wisdom that have helped shape the IHS into what we see today.
Professor Cristina Tassorelli will assume the IHS presidency after the IHC 2021 event in September. I am confident that Cristina will be great leader and I wish her as much success as possible. I encourage you to fully support her as we continue to build our future together.