Roberta tells about her and Bruce's trip to England to meet with Zeneca Pharmaceuticals and plans to expand the Endometriosis ZONE!

March 19, 1998

Hello OBGYN.netters,

A lot of exciting things have happened in my life since last time I wrote to you all. None the least of which was Bruce and my trip to the UK to discuss the future plans for the Endometriosis ZONE and the World Congress on Endometriosis in July.

After a hellacious problem getting out of the good old USA due to snow storms in Chicago we arrived late and luggage less in Northern England just outside of Manchester.

OK, so the cars on the left hand side of the road take some getting used to, but other than that my misplaced Yankee Heart (remember I live in Texas now!) felt right at home immediately. I now understand why they call it NEW England.

Bruce and I fell in love with England. The people are very friendly and have a great sense of humor. I loved the food as it reminded me of all the comfort foods of my childhood. Root crops anyone?

Of course it was great to see Chris Bunting again but (sorry Chris) the real thrill for me was to meet Lynn Grant, Zeneca's Global Communications Manager, and recently appointed Top Banana on the Endometriosis ZONE. Meeting Lynn was like meeting my British alter ego. We hit it off brilliantly (as they say), right away. Lynn in moving in five directions at the same time but never misses a beat or drops the ball. Her dedication to improving the communication and educational offerings on the ZONE is energetic and sincere.

Once we got in a room together we brainstormed till our heads were swimming. Occasionally we even let someone else get a word in edgewise, but not too often. So here's my big News Flash: THE ENDO ZONE IS ABOUT TO GO INTERACTIVE! So, hold on to your seats. By the World Congress on Endometriosis (WCE) in Montreal in July things will be really heating up. We will even be doing live broadcasts online! Also planned are a Discussion Forum, LIVE presentations by world Endo experts including Camran Nezhat, MD and Mark Perloe, MD, an Image Library, Interactive Education Modules, Patient Education Tools...well the list is just too long to cover here. Suffice to say I'll keep you abreast of all the developments via the ANNOUNCEMENT section on the Medical Professionals Home Page and by email.

After leaving Zeneca with many hugs and fond farewells we headed south to the small town of Glatton, home of Brian Hackman and his wife Miriam. She is a GP and he's a Gynecologist. Brian as you might remember is the former Editor of the EAGO Newsletter. One of my favorite reads (click here if you want to have a peek at the last issue). Gracious doesn't even begin to describe the Hackmans. From the curried mutton dinner to the eider downs in the Guest Bedroom they made our visit an experience I will remember fondly for the rest of my life. I am hoping to get Brian to come on board at OBGYN.net as Medical Editor. The reason is obvious, I've become addicted to Doctor Miriam Hackman's Bitter Seville Orange Marmalade. :-) Brian was off on Saturday at 5:00 AM to Manila for a WHO project he's involved in. Bruce and I enjoyed a hearty English breakfast and leisurely morning in the English countryside. I even had the chance to walk Sophie the dog. She accompanied me in the wee hours while I was exploring the quaint thatched cottages, the ancient church and the old cemetery in the brisk morning air. Bruce enjoyed his morning by sleeping late in that soft bed! The daffodils were in bloom everywhere and took my breath away. As I arrived back at Butts House (all the houses had names instead of numbers) milk was being delivered to the door in little glass bottles. It seemed like we had gone back in time to a simpler and more pleasant time. Sadly, by afternoon it was time to take our leave and we were soon headed south for the final leg of our journey. London!

Chris Bunting came in to town and joined us as our guide and companion for two days of sightseeing and pub hopping (It's a tough job but someone has to do it) in the capital. We had a jolly time and crammed all the sites in at a whirl wind pace. I must admit however, 20 minutes at the British Museum really doesn't do it justice.

Mission accomplished we are back home now and strapped to our computers trying to make up for being away for so long. Barbara kept the home and OBGYN.net fires burning splendidly.

Even though I'm working my tail off paying for playing hookie and extending our trip, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. England is just that special. I came home refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to launch a lot of new projects at OBGYN.net.

Well, enough said. I better finish this UPDATE and get to work on the Endo Zone, the Alternatives To hysterectomy UPDATE, sew up all the loose ends nice and tidy... "and Bob's your uncle!"

I think I'll go have a spot of tea....
Cheerio,
Roberta

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If you have any interesting news, ideas, or questions you would like to share please drop me a line at roberta.speyer@obgyn.net.

3/19/98

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