About the World Pathology Foundation and The Gordon Signy Fellowship
HISTORY OF THE WORLD PATHOLOGY FOUNDATION
The history of WASP, edited by McMenemy and Hendry, first published in 1983, initially refers to the World Pathology Foundation in the minutes of the Bureau Meeting, September 12th, 1970, in Atlanta. At this meeting discussions held in Vancouver concerning its formation, were confirmed.
The World Pathology Foundation was origionaly chartered in 1972, in Berne, Switzerland. At that time the World Association of Societies in Pathology or WASP, as it was then known, decided that a body, completely separate and independent of the WASP was required. The purpose of this new body was stated thus: " The objectives of the Foundation are scientific, educational and charitable; to promote public safety and public health by fostering the development of good standards in anatomic and clinical pathology, especially in the developing countries." To further these aims, the World Pathology Foundation will, among others, foster research, education and application of these medical sciences by organizing conferences, encouraging interchange of pathology information among nations and initiating and prompting publications in pathology. There is no record of why Switzerland was chosen as its initial home; the reason for the interval of two years before the WPF was accepted as a charity by the Swiss Authorities remains undocumented.
Over the years the relationship between WASPaLM and the WPF has undergone some changes. Original discussions concerning the establishment of the WPF, dating back to a meeting in Montreal in 1969, initially established its independence from the WASPaLM. The original Charter, in Berne, Switzerland in 1972, was amended by the Trustees following a meeting in Munich on September 13,1972. Additional amendments to the original Charter were agreed by the Trustees of the WPF in Vancouver in 1991 and again in Munich in 2010. At the Bureau meeting in Cyprus in 2012, the WPF Trustees agreed to recharter the World Pathology Foundation in the United States as a charitable organization in that country. This was completed on December 12, 2012 under new Articles of Incorporation. The assets of the Swiss Foundation were transferred to the US Foundation and the Swiss Foundation was formally dissolved on October 12, 2014.
The foundation is administered by a Board of Trustees. The current members of the Board are:
President
Dr. Roberto Verna, Italy
First Vice-President
Dr. Looi Lai-Meng, Malaysia
Second Vice-President
Dr. Roberto Ruiz Arenas, Mexico
Secretary-Treasurer
Dr. Henry Travers, United States
Trustees
Dr. Catherine Hayward, Canada
Dr. Walter Alallon, Uruguay
Dr. Mariano Bizzari, Italy
The funds of the Foundation have been derived mainly from donations and an auction held at every World Congress of Pathology. More funds are urgently needed to support the work of the World Association, especially in the task of representing pathology in international bodies. Donations from individuals, corporations and societies are solicited and should be sent to the Treasurer at the address below:
Secretary-Treasurer, World Pathology Foundation
2601 S Minnesota Avenue
Suite 105-175
Sioux Falls South Dakota 57105
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Tel: +1-605-331-5061
E-mail: wpfinfo@midco.net
The Foundation has provided visiting lectureships to enable senior pathologists to travel to developing countries in an advisory capacity and visit some of their hospitals and laboratories. Dr. Evaldo Melo was the first recipient of such a post followed by Dr. Barrie Murphy who reported, on behalf of the Foundation, from Zaire.