I am Jaana Manninen and I am representing the Finnish SLE-Group with Marita Vanhanen whom some of you surely remember from last year's meeting in Munster. I have earlier had the pleasure of being our group's delegate in London 1988 and 1992, the last mentioned was the International Patients' Meeting. I have been the chairman of the group since 1992.
I do not wish to tire you by telling the same things as Marita last year so I shall rather concentrate on what we have been doing after that.
This year has been the 20th anniversary of our group. Twenty years ago Mrs Sinikka Jussilainen from Espoo, the neighbour city of Helsinki, put a little announcement on the Helsingin Sanomat which is the biggest newspaper in Finland asking other persons with the same nuisance, SLE (that time called in Finland LED). She got 14 answers and they hat the first meeting of the group.
In the early 80' we went under the umbrella of the Finnish Rheumatism Association (Suomen Reumaliitto ry) and have been working from there ever since.
We have usually had a bigger meeting in Helsinki twice a year. That of course causes difficulties for those who live far from Helsinki because of the long and expensive distances. That is one of the main reasons we had our 20th anniversary weekend last spring in Tampere, the city situated more in the centre of the country.
The anniversary was a great success and we had delegates from all over the country. We had a very highly qualified programme with the leading SLE experts from Finland and also guest from the Swedish group.
Another subject was to discuss the local SLE activities and the improving of them; we got many good suggestions on the group work we did.
The autumn meeting took place on the 14th of October in Helsinki with some 45 delegates. As a guest we had a lady who is qualified in coping with a chronical illness and a hair specialist with a lot of experience of the hair loss problems of the SLE patients.
We have also had local meetings in several places.
We have produced a "SLE-packet" with some articles of the disease and other information. One can get the packet from the Rheumatism Association. I have some copies with me in case somebody wants to take a look. Doctor Yrjö T. Konttinen has also made a new edition of the patient's book which hopefully will be published by the end of the year.
Our anniversary year has now a great ending as Marita and I have the joy of being here representing the Finnish group. We wish to say the warmest thanks to all those who have made this possible.
Jaana Manninen
E. L. E. F.
European Lupus Erythematosus Federation