Dear EAN Members, Friends, and Colleagues,
More than half a year has passed since I was elected to the EAN Board as Treasurer, and it has been a fantastic experience!
First of all, I feel both very privileged and humble to have been elected. Norway is definitely one of Europe’s smaller countries, and the national neurological society, where I currently serve as the President, has approximately 800 members, including junior doctors and retired colleagues. But small can be beautiful (; Norwegian neurologists are hard-working, enthusiastic about their work in general and especially about the brain, as well as friendly and inclusive. This can be most easily experienced at our yearly conference in Oslo, held at the house of the Norwegian Medical Association. For three days, the house is more or less occupied by Norwegian neurologists, sharing current research, discussing guidelines and hot topics within the field as well as awarding prizes and socialising. I am also very proud of my Norwegian colleagues who are performing world-class neuroscience.
The EAN is like a bigger version of the Norwegian association. The last half year I have met many very competent and nice neurologist colleagues: at the meeting of the Belgian Society in Brussels – at the WHO meeting in Copenhagen and at the G7-event in Ancona – and it has been a great pleasure. I learn a lot and I get the chance to reflect upon the similarities and differences in neurology in Europe. My conclusion is that there is more that unites us than separates us. And that must be remembered and treasured.
I have also felt very warmly welcomed by my colleagues on the EAN Board and our terrific administration team. There is a lot of work to be done, but we do it together in a dedicated and cheerful atmosphere, and that is very important to me. As a neurologist, I would describe myself as a generalist with a keen interest in brain health and reaching out to the public. I combine my professorship with a leading position at The State Governor, and I enjoy the mix of academia, law, and medicine.
The Brain Health Mission is for me one of the most rewarding cases to work for with within the EAN framework. There is so much to be gained by making our countries and our surroundings more ‘brain friendly’ and giving people tools to protect or enhance their brain health. There will always be suffering and neurological disease that cannot be prevented and that we as neurologists must care for and treat in the best way possible. But it would make a huge socioeconomic and quality-of-life difference if the risks for brain disease and damage could be reduced or modified. An example: to make hearing aids both cool and easily available could significantly prevent loneliness, social isolation, and dementia. What is not to like?
I also have a weak spot for the ‘Juvenile Brain’. How can we provide young people with the necessary understanding and framework they need from society in this time period when their brain is re-constructed – so that they can grow and blossom? This interest has not least been fuelled by being the mother of two great young adult sons. They have not chosen neurology or medicine themselves, but still let their mother enthusiastically tell them about the fascinating aspects of the brain. And, as one of them once replied: “Ok, the brain is not the worst organ to be lectured about at the dinner table”.
I am looking forward to the EAN Congress in Helsinki this summer, and I hope I see many of you there. Neurology is better when we do it together, and one thing is for sure; we will not leave the brain alone.
Best regards
Jana Midelfart-Hoff, EAN Treasurer
