C HA LL E NGE S For the first time ever,
the endourology and oncology sections
of the British Association of Urological
Surgeons (BAUS) will co-host their
annual meetings under the WCE
umbrella, creating a cohesive multi-
disciplinary educational experience
for attendees. “We have an exciting
program in store,” said Hannah Doyle,
BAUS’s events manager, “with state-of-
the-art lectures, vibrant and engaging
guest orators, as well as superlative
educational
opportunities.”
Organizations such as
the European Association of Urology
(EAU) and EAU’s Robotic Urology Sec-
tion will also host meetings at WCE.
INITIATIVES Organizers are moving
away from traditional paper posters in
favor of ePosters that will be available
to delegates before, during, and after
the meeting. “There will be viewing stations within the exhibition hall during
the meeting,” said Doyle, whose team
is also developing an app for attendees
and planning a Twitter campaign to
promote WCE 2015. .
— Kate Mulcrone
2014
13,400 60
Attendees Exhibitors
2015
15,000 80
Attendees Exhibitors
OVERVIE W ADA enjoyed record-breaking attendance and sponsorship
at this year’s Chicago EXPO, a free
one-day event for people managing
diabetes. Indeed, the program has
become so successful that just weeks
before this year’s show, ADA of Illinois
hired its volunteer chair, Erin Callahan,
as manager of community, government,
and media relations.
CHALLE NGES When Convene spoke
to Callahan in advance of the 2015
Chicago EXPO, she said that identifying
sponsors for new technology initia-
tives was always a challenge. (Read
our Pre Con profile at convn.org/
pre-con-ada.) This year, a new sponsor
— biopharmaceutical company Astra-
Zeneca — stepped up with a “charging
and relaxation station” that included
phone chargers,
comfortable chairs,
and reading material.
INI TIATIVES ADA wanted to emphasize overall wellness this year, which
translated into health screenings,
cooking demonstrations, and — from
sponsor Jewel-Osco supermarket
chain — a mini grocery store right on
the show floor, where attendees could
learn about healthy shopping and eating. “For a lot of our attendees, this is
their only access to care throughout
the year,” Callahan said, “which is why
our event is so important to the whole
community. They really view it as their
yearly checkup.” .
— Christopher Durso
For more information: convn.org/ada2015
POST CON
American Diabetes Association (ADA)
2015 Chicago EXPO
Event Details
Oct. 1–4, 2015
ExCeL London
Event Details
April 18, 2015
McCormick Place East
Chicago
PRE CON
33rd World Congress of
Endourology and SWL
Overview
Since its founding in 1984,
the international, nonprofit
Endourological Society has
rotated its World Congress of
Endourology and SWL (WCE)
from country to country. This
year, some 1,800 health-care
professionals, doctors, and
scientists working in endourology
— which involves treating kidney
stones in a minimally invasive
way to patients, including
therapies such as shock wave
lithotripsy (SWL) — will gather
in London for four days of
education and networking.
For more information:
wce2015.com