Dear members of the European Society of Paediatric Urology Nurse group, ESPUN.

It is summer in Sweden, really summer, and all Swedes including me are enjoying it. It is my last week on vacation, always a little sad when things are running out or coming close to an end. I guess it is also a feeling of knowing that you must work almost a year until next vacation.

Looking back I think our meeting in Nice was great. It started with the language course which really engaged all the participants. Even from the outside you could tell it was really fun. When you have fun it is known that you learn more easily. Next day the meeting started with a lot of interesting presentations about bladder exstrophy, functional disorders and clinical practice. There were also two excellent workshops; one about clean intermittent catheterisation and one about the standard for urine sample. The slides from these workshops will soon be on the website. Next day there were three thesis presentations of which two received the Thesis award. Our meeting ended up with the research school about how to write an abstract which involved a lot of participants.

Next year our meeting will be in Amsterdam and I am already looking forward to see you all again – and hopefully some new colleagues. Two board members will step down at this meeting; Monika Doroskiewicz, secretary, who has done extremely well and me. We have been a great team – thank you Monika. Nominated members (to the board) will be elected by the AGM attending members. After that the board will constitute themselves (decide who will become the president, secretary and treasurer). I am sure there are at least two members who are interested in becoming board members. It would not be a problem since the board is highly trained and doing a professional work, each board member seriously devoted – thanks to Cathrine, Katty, Ellen, Sue and Margrethe.

It is my last year as the president of ESPUN and it fills me with mixed feelings. I am happy we now are a strong society: having a lot of devoted members and really good meetings with high quality, continuously improving. The sad side is due to the fact that if you are not on the board you cannot influence the development at the same degree. Of course I will stay as an active member and try to support our society at least in research matters.

I wish you all a nice end of the summer and also a good autumn. I hope that some of you will submit an abstract. I am also looking forward to receive a lot of nominations to the board of the ESPUN. If you would like to arrange a workshop in a specific caring/nursing matter do not hesitate to contact me or someone else on the board.

Ulla-Britt Jansson
ESPUN president