![]()
58
| 3 | 2009
Klinisk Biokemi i Norden
This year the spring is at its best
at the end of May in Northern
Finland. You see all over fresh
nice green grass and small leaves
in trees. It is like a promise of
something new, the beginning
of a new summer. Everybody is,
of course, expecting a hot and
sunny summer.
The global economical situ-
ation has brought a challenge into our private and
professional lives. Every day we hear in the news of
cutting of the personnel in factories and businesses.
In the public healthcare we all are trying to find ways
to cut down expenses. The cities and counties do not
simply have enough money for all the expenses of the
public sector. This global economic crunch has also
touched IFCC, since its investment income has van-
ished and it will take some time to recover. However,
lately there has been some positive news on TV, the
shares have started climbing a little and there is some
optimism in the air. Let’s hope that this optimism will
stay and the global recession will revert into a slow
and steady rise in the market. But while waiting for
the economically better times IFCC needs to look
carefully where and how to spend the money during
the forthcoming years.
The IFCC website has been under development
during the past few years. The new IFCC web-
site went alive in January (www.ifcc.org). It is a
great improvement from the previous one, since this
website is a more flexible and responsive system.
However, there is still a lot to correct and databases to
include, a lot of tiding up to do. The website is a very
important tool for the IFCC, it is the most important
means of communication for us. Communications
and Publications Division (CPD) as well as the IFCC
Office staff are mostly responsible for the IFCC
website, but each Division and Working Group is
responsible for the content of its part of the website.
CPD has been looking for a volunteer to be appointed
IFCC NEWS
Päivi Laitinen
IFCC Secretary
as web editor to be responsible for the website. These
days, however, it is very difficult to find persons who
are interested in doing voluntary work for free for
an organization like IFCC. People are not so willing
to commit themselves any more for voluntary scien-
tific work. This is a pity, because this kind of work is
rewarding in many ways.
EuroMedLab Innsbruck starts in less than two
weeks’ time. I have managed to draft the agenda for
the Executive Board meeting. This time I am quite
late with it, because I have been very busy with labo-
ratory duties. But mainly this is due to the fact that
my thoughts are elsewhere; how to manage to wash
the windows, clean the house, what will the menu be,
and what kind of cakes and cookies to bake, how to
get everything ready in a few days’ time. It is the end
of May and our younger son is graduating from high
school. This is the time when the ones who have com-
mitted themselves for the IFCC will prioritize; the
family issues come before the Federation activities.
First I will take care of the graduation festivities and
next week I will have a couple of days to concentrate
on the IFCC issues.
I wish you all a pleasant, warm and relaxing summer!
Foto: Henrik Alfthan
