Dear colleagues and friends
After writing more than 100 newsletters on behalf of the AAMA over the past few years, I am afraid my time as the editor-in-chief has come to an end. I thank you all for welcoming my electronic tidbits into your mailboxes every day during the 44-day war, followed by twice weekly, then weekly and, more recently, on a monthly basis. Your patience and support have kept me going this far and this long, and for that I will forever be grateful. I am looking forward for better things to come from AAMA and I am hopeful we will be part of that altogether; change is always welcome news representing a healthy and prosperous organization with a strong leadership, fresh ideas and more robust projects in support of our Armenian people and motherland.
Below are the AAMA updates for the past month:
- I hope you all had a very nice Thanksgiving and looking ahead for even happier and healthier things to come with the Christmas and New Year’s holiday season.
- We had a very successful 50th Anniversary AAMA Gala and fundraiser event in November with over 200 guests in attendance, the largest in memory. Many of the past presidents, including our very first president (Dr. Barsam), AAMA members and friends were in attendance. Thank you all for attending and your unwavering and generous support for the AAMA mission. Please see the following link for the event photos https://adobe.ly/3Gtvxq0
- HBO project update: The HBO machine in Yerevan was uncrated and the one in Stepanakert will be uncrated soon. All the piping and infrastructure for hooking up the machines have been prepared. We are hopeful the American experts will be able to travel to Armenia in the upcoming months (their December travel plans were postponed due to unforeseen circumstances) to hook up the machines, educate and train the local Armenians and initiate the HBO programs both in Armenia and in Artsakh.
- This year’s AAMA top grant winner ($10,000) is the Tufenkian foundation who will establish a training program for first aid on the field and battleground emergency care using American standards. Click here to learn more about the project: https://public.3.basecamp.com/p/E1qC1rZ4fimSFEjsBVZi8Agh. Our second-place winner ($5,000) is the VIVA foundation who will develop a pilot program for prenatal screening for congenital defects / malformations in pregnancy for women in Gyumri.
- The collaborative AAMA and Tufenkian Foundation primary care mission in Marduni is ongoing. Dr. Anush Sahakyan is planning to visit the mission in January accompanied by a US-based graduating family medicine resident at her next trip. The AAMA continues to be very interested (and welcomes your contributions for the project) with supporting all aspects of the health and health care delivery to the people of Marduni.
- The AAMA will be meeting with HENAR next week to explore collaboration opportunities including primary health care prevention as well as educational programs both in Armenia and Artsakh.
- The AAMA would like to remind and encourage you to attend the 6th International Medical Congress in Armenia (IMCA) to be held from July 6-8, 2023. See the link for more details: http://6imca.am/en
- We are joining forces with the pharmacy group (AAPA) to host a Holiday party on Sunday, January 8th at 6pm in Osterio Nino, Burlington, MA. Save the date! (Details to follow)
- The AAMA is working with the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine//Armenia to reinvigorate the medical student exchange program between Armenia and Boston.
- If you shop on Amazon, please go to Amazon smile and add AAMA as your non-profit organization for Amazon to support, especially as you do your Christmas shopping
- We wish to remind all our medical students and allied health students to apply to the AAMA Scholarship. All those interested can find the application on our website. The deadline is December 9th! Apply by clicking here: https://aamaboston.org/scholarship/
- Please visit our website to update your email and mailing address, including existing members, and look for the latest news and updates at www.aamaboston.org. You can also renew your membership and update your profile including mailing address at https://aamaboston.org/join/#account/join. We are a 501c3 organization – Think of AAMA for your end-of-year gifting.
God bless you all
With love,
Vatche’
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