Welcome Note - Jonathan Stack
In the past 10 days, we’ve watched Donald Trump and Elon Musk take a chainsaw to public health programs and reproductive rights, both here in the US and around the world. Given the devastating impact this will have on millions of women, children and families, we can not afford to be complacent, demoralized or silent.
In response to this crisis, our first webinar (March 8th, 11 a.m. EST), will honor International Women’s Day with a two-hour program, “Vasectomy and Women: Supporting Choice, Transforming Lives’. We expect multiple presenters to share stories about the impact on women and children worldwide and the role men can play as active and engaged partners. If there’s ever been a time for men to step up and join the struggle, it is clearly now. To receive an invitation, please sign up here. As well as the upcoming March webinar, we’ve scheduled two additional programs in June and September, as well as the annual Summit.
We’ll be sharing more information about our year long schedule, but already there are more activities in the works than ever before. The January Newsletter was dedicated to our participating doctors, and the month concluded with the annual Vasectomy Ski Retreat and Seminar, hosted by Dr. Doug Stein (WVD’s co-founder) in Frisco, Colorado (See article below).
WVD 2025 will bring its rotating headquarters to Argentina, where we are partnering with the Ministry of Health for the province of Buenos Aires and FUSA, the country’s largest family planning organization. Our signature 24 Hour event is set for November 13-14th. We’re also planning on three training missions in Argentina, and anticipate leaving behind state-of-the-art vasectomy programs in 10 hospitals by the end of the year. And while demand is high, we’re expecting to develop an elaborate communications program that will extend beyond the province. For the doctors in our group interested in joining a mission, please sign up here.
After years of dreaming, we are finally moving ahead with our WVD Academy (WVDA). Led by Act. Silvana Resendy, the WVDA will call upon the expertise and passion of many of our leading vasectomy providers, including Dr. Michel Labrecque, Dr. Esgar Guarin, Dr. John Curington, Dr. Chris Tonozzi, Dr. Alex Galante, Dr. Eloisa Gonzalez and others. The WVDA will host an online library of content and courses for young doctors, medical students and experts. (More to follow in the coming months). The program will be launched at the ICFP conference in Bogota, Colombia, November 3-6th.
In Zambia, led by regional Director, Sheila Gabeya, Country officer, Daliso Zulu and urologist, Dr. Robert Kachacha, the WVD Langiza Chikondi Clinic will continue to provide vasectomies to the men of Lusaka. There is a lot more exciting news coming out of Uganda and Zambia which we’ll be sharing in the March newsletter.
Overall, our movement – and our role as leaders in male focused family planning – continues to grow. Certainly, 2025 is destined to be our most impactful year ever, but to fulfill our potential, we need the support of each and every one of you. Be it through donations, participation in events or simply committing to doing vasectomies, we look forward to your contribution.
