By Vicki Wilmott, Senior Pharmacist - Oncology/Haematology, Illawarra Cancer Centre, Wollongong, Australia

In April 2014, I attended the ISOPP XIV symposium in Montreal, Canada with financial assistance in the form of a travel grant from ISOPP Australasia. I had two poster presentations accepted for the symposium, one of which was titled "Medication Incident Reduction at the Illawarra Cancer Care Centre". This poster outlined how the introduction of an Oncology Information System (OIS) resulted in a reduction of medication incidents at our centre. The information incorporated in the poster was originally presented as a quality project in the 2012 New South Wales Health Awards taking out the Cancer Services Award for Excellence in the Provision of Cancer Services.

As recorded by Terri G. Davidson, PharmD 

Helen, you were the founder and originator of ISOPP. Tell me why and how the organization found its roots? What was your vision/dream those many years ago?

            First a wee bit of background, Terri. In 1985, I was the only pharmacist in New Zealand (NZ) who specialized in Oncology Pharmacy, which meant there was no other pharmacist in the country who I could discuss practical and theoretical concerns with. So a year later, I set off on a study tour to meet pharmacists in the United Kingdom and the United States who practiced in various hospitals specializing in cancer treatment. I wanted to meet colleagues with whom I could share my concerns and find answers to my questions. By the end of my tour, I was overwhelmed with the camaraderie and willingness of the oncology pharmacists I met to share their knowledge and practices with me. I returned home with a dream of bringing these and other oncology pharmacists together to share their knowledge. My ultimate dream was of greatly improved care for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, but the dream didn't tell me how to go about making this happen!! After much thought and with the help of a small working group, my dream was realized in 1988 when the first International Symposium for Oncology Pharmacists was held in Rotorua, NZ. At the close of that inaugural meeting, I threw out a challenge for someone there to organize another symposium in 2 years. This challenge was taken up by Graham Sewell (UK) and it was from this beginning that the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners (ISOPP) grew.

By Shinya Suzuki, R.Ph.,M.S.,BCOP, JSPHCS-certified Oncology Pharmacist, Board Certified Pharmacist in Oncology Pharmacy (Japanese Society of Hospital Pharmacists), Ward Pharmacist / Head and Neck Medical Oncology, Division of Pharmacy, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Japan

From March 25th to 28th 2015, the annual conference of the Hematology and Oncology Pharmacy Association was held in Austin, Texas, USA. As a matter of fact, I had the opportunity to have a presentation at the 9th annual HOPA conference, however, I could not attend the conference due to a horrible earthquake in Japan on March 11th, 2011. At that time, one of the past presidents of HOPA, Philip E Johnson, kindly displayed my poster during the conference. 

So, it was important and impressive for me to attend the conference this year. During the annual HOPA conference, I want to give thanks to the ISOPP, especially to current ISOPP president, Dr. Rowena (Moe) Schwartz, Dr. Donald Harvey, and Dr. Steve Stricker who were very friendly and helpful to me during the conference. I also had the opportunity to see the president of the European Society of Oncology Pharmacy (ESOP), Klaus Meier. I was very happy that the current HOPA president, Dr.Scott Soetje, and the past president Dr.Michael Vozniak warmly accepted me, a Japanese pharmacist. I also saw Dr. Nelly E Adel, who invited me and my colleagues to the trainee program at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center last year. Moreover, I could talk with Professor Joseph Bubalo, who was an author of a paper which I was just reading in the Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice!!! It was great time for me.  

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