EARLS kicks off in Brussels
Support groups from six nations combine in the fight for greater recognition
Dear Members,
The long awaited launch of the European RLS group, called EARLS, European Alliance for Restless Legs Syndrome, took place in Brussels in November 2009. On 3rd November, myself along with Ellie Macdonald and representatives of the other founding member countries, travelled from their homeland to meet in Brussels for the final preparations for the launch of EARLS. One of our functions was to select a board that would represent the group. Present at the meeting were delegates representing The Netherlands, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Belgium and the UK.
In December the President of EARLS, Joke Jaarsma, will be attending a meeting in Denmark and we are anticipating that more countries will be joining us.
In the evening of 3rd November we had a celebration dinner and much to our delight Dr. Ekbom attended which gave us an opportunity to speak with him. It was his father Prof. Karl E. Ekbom who first discovered this condition in 1945.
In December the President of EARLS, Joke Jaarsma, will be attending a meeting in Denmark and we are anticipating that more countries will be joining us.In the evening of 3rd November we had a celebration dinner and much to our delight Dr. Ekbom attended which gave us an opportunity to speak with him. It was his father Prof. Karl E. Ekbom who first discovered this condition in 1945.
Dr. Ekbom was more than happy to speak with us and we learnt with interest about his father’s work and research.
The next morning on the 4th November there was a great deal of excitement as it was the morning of the launch.
The President, Vice-President and some members of the board walked the short distance from the hotel to the European Parliament building to meet with the press for coverage of the launch. Later that morning the remaining delegates followed over to the EU Parliament where we were introduced to the three British MEPs who would learn the reasons why we need a European group for this condition. MEP Robert Sturdy was chair for this meeting.
Also waiting for us at the EU Parliament was Dr. Diego Garcia-Borreguero, a leading neurologist from Spain, Dr. Karl E. Ekbom, Swedish neurologist and Dr. Markku Partinen, Director of the Helsinki Sleep Clinic.
Also waiting for us at the EU Parliament was Dr. Diego Garcia-Borreguero, a leading neurologist from Spain, Dr. Karl E. Ekbom, Swedish neurologist and Dr. Markku Partinen, Director of the Helsinki Sleep Clinic.
The meeting took a little over half an hour followed by a brief lunch.The representation made by all three speakers gave an in-depth view of what RLS is like to live with and proposed more research into the life changing illness. The British MEP who was chair at the meeting showed a particular interest into the various problems associated with RLS.
All delegates then made their way back to our hotel where we went our separate ways until we meet again in Brussels in May 2010. There is evidence that interest is growing in the EARLS group which is good news for all of us who suffer with this illness.
I hope you have found this information and our photographs of the event of interest.
I hope you have found this information and our photographs of the event of interest.
Best Wishes,
Beverley
