The Australasian Society for Breast Disease celebrated its 20th Anniversary during the Welcome and Networking Function at the 11th Scientific Meeting at the Gold Coast in October. Prof Jack Jellins and Prof Mary Rickard, two of the directors from the first ASBD Executive in 1997 were in attendance for the celebrations. They cut the anniversary cake along with ASBD President Dr Yvonne Zissiadis and joined the current executive at a celebration dinner. Sophia Lahlou, Brand Manager Oncology, from Roche, one of our sponsors, gave a short speech welcoming everyone to the conference.

Over the last 20 years ASBD has achieved a great deal to support medical professionals with an interest in breast disease including holding 11 ASBD Scientific Meetings, provided specialty specific training days, co-hosting numerous conferences with other associations, provided networking, website and membership facilities, along with subscriptions to “The Breast” Journal. With our growing membership and new website facilities we look forward to an exciting future where we will provide excellent online facilities for members, more multidisciplinary conferences of a high standard and extended specialised training day options.

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In the beginning….

A Steering Committee was formed in 1995 with a view to form an Australian Society of Senology (ie. breast disease), based on the concept of a need to provide a multidisciplinary society which would bring together individuals interested in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and research into aspects of breast disease. The Steering Committee consisted of Dr Cherrell Hirst (Chair), Prof Michael Bilous, Prof John Boyages, Prof Colin Furnival, Prof Jack Jellins, and Prof Mary Rickard.

A number of similar societies were in existence in different countries but no comparable group was present in Australia. The formation of such a society in Australasia was encouraged by the Senologic International Society (SIS) which had shown that a multidisciplinary approach to breast disease provided the best medical management for the patient.

On the recommendations of the Steering Committee, the Australasian Society for Breast Disease (ASBD) was established in 1997 to provide a multidisciplinary forum for discussion on the prevention, detection, diagnosis and management of breast disease and research into this area of medicine.