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TORONTO, JULY 30, 2007 – The Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) and the Toronto Convention and Visitors Association today announced that Toronto has been selected to host the 25th International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) World Congress.
This major congress is expected to attract more than 10,000 distinguished health professionals, researchers and international leaders from these two specialties from more than 100 countries worldwide. Attendees will include the world’s top haematologists, cardiologists, angiologists, pediatricians and other doctors, as well as nurses, basic scientists, students and trainees interested in these speciality fields and related care.
“We’re honoured that the ISTH selected Toronto for its World Congress,” said David Whitaker, President and CEO of Tourism Toronto. “Toronto’s position as a global convention destination is solidified more every year. We are marketing our city more aggressively than ever to convention organizers around the world, each bid buoyed by strong partnerships with members and local industry professionals.”
To be held July 11-17, 2015, the ISTH 2015 event is expected to generate 31,100 total hotel room nights, with combined visitor spending expected to top more than $18 million.
Bid officials at Tourism Toronto and the MTCC attributed the win to Toronto’s top-notch international reputation as an event destination and credited the outstanding efforts of Hamilton-based doctor Dr. Sam Schulman and his team at McMaster University, all of whom were actively involved in the preparation and presentation of the bid submission. Dr. Schulman presented the winning proposal to the ISTH Council on July 9, 2007 in Geneva.
Dr. Schulman is a prominent figure in his field, and is widely recognized among his peers around the world. His reputation and profile, along with those of the many other Canadian professionals who participated in the bid, were among the main reasons the MTCC was chosen. Dr. Schulman was acting as an Ambassador as part of Tourism Toronto’s Leaders Circle Program.
“We are very proud to have won this bid,” said Barry Smith, CEO of the MTCC. “It shows what a strong competitor we are on the international stage. The competition was stiff!” he said. Smith added that the participation of Dr. Schulman and his colleagues was what gave the MTCC the winning edge.
The ISTH 2015 congress in Toronto will be the first time in more than a quarter century that the organization has come to the city. The event is seen as the highlight of the annual calendar among the disciplines’ international specialists. Attendees at ISTH 2015 will discuss the latest findings on a number of important academic and clinical issues, as well as the latest scientific research, innovations in drug therapies and other new treatment protocols in the fields of haemostasis and thrombosis.
It is the largest educational platform in the world for exchanging innovative concepts and approaches to advance the global management of patients with blood clotting disorders. The Scientific Program will be spearheaded by Dr. Jeff Weitz, Dr. Schulman and more than 15 of his colleagues at the Thrombosis Group of McMaster University as well as colleagues from many other Canadian universities.
Smith noted that this event is just the latest in a series of prestigious wins in the medical/ scientific/research market segment for the MTCC and Tourism Toronto. Among the other big health-related events at the MTCC recently were:
$ the XVI International AIDS Conference (“AIDS 2006"), which brought more than 26,000 of the world’s top political, scientific and community leaders and others working on the front lines of the AIDS epidemic to Toronto;
$ the 159th Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, which drew more than 18,000 psychiatrists from 85 countries; and,
$ the 2006 International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) World Congress on Osteoporosis (IOF WCO), which was the world’s largest scientific congress devoted specifically to osteoporosis.
About ISTH
The ISTH is a non-profit organization with over 2,800 members from more than 70 countries. Organized and operated exclusively for scientific and educational purposes, its objectives are to foster and advance science relating to the important medical problems of thrombosis and abnormalities of haemostasis and vascular biology; to provide a forum for discussion of these problems; to encourage research on these problems by scientists of the several relevant disciplines; to foster the diffusion and exchange of ideas through scientific meetings and publications; to standardize nomenclature and methods as appropriate and timely. For additional information, please visit www.isth.org.
About Haemostasis and Thrombosis
Haemostasis and thrombosis are disorders of the circulatory system with either too much bleeding or obstruction of the blood flow by a thrombus or thromboembolism, also known as a blood clot. These disorders can wreak havoc in many parts of the body, including the legs, lungs, brain, and heart. A clot blocking an artery to the brain, for example, leads to a stroke, while a clot in the heart or lungs can lead to a heart attack and even death. These cardiovascular events are responsible for about half of all adult deaths in Western society and are among the most prevalent causes of premature death.
Clots can be brought on by a wide variety of causes, including high cholesterol and plaques, irregular heartbeat, oral contraceptives, surgery, trauma, infection, and sitting on long flights in cramped quarters. Haemophilia is a bleeding disorder where the blood is unable to clot properly, leading to uncontrollable and sometimes fatal bleeding and blood loss.
About the Ambassadors and Leaders Circle Program
The Leaders Circle Program was launched by Tourism Toronto in November 2005 to raise the City’s profile internationally as an exciting and attractive event destination for major conventions of this kind. Under this program, Tourism Toronto and the MTCC work closely with a variety of local professionals and other members of Toronto’s well-regarded hospital and university communities to build a strong basis for Toronto in pitching international congresses such as these.
Individuals with similar international networks who are aware of new conference business opportunities in their profession or know of current and upcoming bids, and are interested in helping to attract and host other major events like these in Toronto are encouraged to contact Eric Chou, MTCC’s International Sales Manager at (416) 585-8376 or Alice Au, Director of Sales, Meetings & Events, Tourism Toronto, at (416) 203-3819.
About the MTCC
The Metro Toronto Convention Centre is Canada’s #1 convention and trade show facility and one of the finest in North America. With more than 2 million square feet of state-of-the-art space, it is considered a world-class, tier-one facility. Since its opening in 1984, the MTCC has hosted approximately 12,000 events, entertained nearly 40 million guests and has had a multi-billion dollar direct and indirect economic impact on the City and Province. For further information about the MTCC please visit www.mtccc.com.
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For Further Information Please Contact:
Christine Chiu Sam Schulman, MD
Marketing Manager President 2015 ISTH Congress
MTCC ISTH
(416) 585-8106 (905) 528 9946
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