From Mihaela Šogorić, President of HAE Croatia

HAE Croatia organized a gathering during the weekend 2-3 October 2021 in Tuheljske Toplice. It was the first such encounter in Croatia.

The gathering began with the speech of Ljerka Karadža Lapić, MD of otolaryngology, working in the Clinical Hospital Center Šibenik, who greeted participants in the name of the Supervisory Board followed by the pediatricians’ lectures. Irena Ivković-Jureković, MD of Paediatric Allergology and Clinical Immunology at the Children’s Hospital Zagreb, talked about the symptoms and diagnosis of HAE. A lecture about treatment for HAE was held by Nevena Cigrovski, MD, at the Paediatric Clinic at the Clinical Hospital Center Zagreb. 

She pointed out that HAE is a rare but potentially fatal disease. 

On the other hand, the future is bright because there is more and more research, including medications for long-term and short-term prophylaxis. A lecture about long-term prophylaxis was provided by Bojana Olujić, MD, at the Paediatric Clinic in the Clinical Hospital Center Osijek. Among other information, she presented statistics about how HAE affects the quality of children’s life: between 20 to 100 days a year, they are not capable of doing normal daily activities, and 44 % of children suffering from HAE are absent one or more days from school.

On the second day of this gathering, Ante Prgin held a motivational workshop for children where he talked about his life experience with HAE. He pointed out that, for him, this is not a disease but a restriction. The gathering ended with psychological workshops for children, but also for their parents, held by Maja Batista, MD, from the Clinical Hospital Center Sestre Milosrdnice in Zagreb. HAE Croatia has begun the production of a brochure with the aim to provide psychological support to people suffering from HAE with the help of Maja Batista, MD. The brochure is supposed to be printed at the beginning of next year.

I will endeavor to organize this kind of gathering for children every year. I am acknowledging appreciation to all the doctors for participation, as well as to all donators for financial support of this gathering. The instructive and pleasant weekend included a tour of the castles Mihanović and Veliki Tabor.

Till the next time, I’m sending you my best regards.