Winter 2024 (Volume 34, Number 4)

From ARMS to SOAR 1984-2024!

By Evelyn D. Sutton, MD, FRCPC

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Drs. Ken McCarthy and Jamie Henderson, founding members, flank Dr. Hani El-Gabalawy who joined in 1985.

On January 16, 1984, Dr. Jack Woodbury sent a letter to the “Atlantic Province Rheumatologists” summarizing the “ten written replies to the questions which I had put to you. In addition, John and Edith Verrier Jones have replied orally.” The replies indicated “a unanimous opinion that meetings of the group be held.” He then summarized feedback about venue, content, invited speakers, whether spouses should be invited or not, and who should organize the meeting. “Eight people thought that I should organize the first meeting, one thought that my wife should help me, and three felt that a small committee should do the organizing.” (I will refrain from making a comment about the suggestion that Jack’s wife should help!)

And so, it began. Jack organized the first meeting in Halifax. The constitution of the Society was discussed and adopted, an executive was elected and it was agreed that the 1985 meeting be in Saint John, New Brunswick (NB), and in 1986 in St. John’s, Newfoundland (Nfld). The group (Drs. Tom Edgett, Moncton, NB, David Hawkins, St. John’s, Nfld, Edith Jones, John Verrier Jones, Siraj Ahmed, Jack Woodbury, and Joanne Marsh of Halifax, NS, Virender Khanna and Henrik Tonning, of Saint John, NB, and Jamie Henderson, Fredericton) agreed on the objectives of the society:

1. To improve the care of patients with rheumatic diseases
2. To share information concerning facilities, procedures and personnel available in the Atlantic Provinces of Canada
3. To provide opportunities to participate jointly in medical investigations
4. To provide a forum for scientific exchange
5. To provide opportunities for discussion of mutual problems and shared educational programmes
6. To become a voice speaking for rheumatology on behalf of the Atlantic Community

Forty years later, the current members of the Society of Atlantic Rheumatologists (SOAR) are very grateful to the founders. The meeting has stayed true to its objectives. Some changes have occurred: families, not just spouses are invited, hospital meeting rooms gave way to hotel conference rooms, and two guest speakers are invited to present. Instead of the meeting running all day Saturday, the medical education is now split over Saturday and Sunday mornings, leaving time for golf competition or other recreational activities on Saturday afternoon. Saturday evening continues to be reserved for the group to dine together.

A veritable Who’s Who of rheumatology greats have accepted invitations to share their knowledge and time at SOAR, starting with Dr. Watson Buchanan as the inaugural invitee. This year, two rising stars in Canadian rheumatology, Drs. Tom Appleton and Hugues Allard-Chamard, were our guests, and we were delighted that former SOAR members traveled the country to join us — Drs. Dianne Mosher from Calgary and Hani El-Gabalawy from Winnipeg.

ARMS? The original name proposed was Atlantic Rheumatology Musculoskeletal Society. I think we all will agree that SOAR is more appropriate, although the homonym “sore” is what many hear, which arguably is also apt given the nature of rheumatic diseases!

Evelyn D. Sutton, MD, FRCPC
Associate Dean Undergraduate Medicine
Professor of Medicine, Dalhousie University
Halifax, Nova Scotia