Farewell from the Singapore Secretariat

Dear colleagues and friends

It’s been a great and tremendous learning journey. Time seems to have flown by so quickly since I took on the role of Administrative Manger of WONCA almost 12 years ago in May 2001.
 
I have enjoyed my time with WONCA working extremely well and efficiently with Dr Alfred Loh, CEO, and Ms Gillian Tan, Accounts Executive, in the Secretariat in Singapore, and with so many gifted people from around the world dedicated to WONCA's mission. I shall miss the regular contact that I have had with the Executives, Council Members, the various working parties and groups in the Organization. I shall miss the buzz and the colourful, vibrant diversity of WONCA’s conferences and its accompanying cultural events where so many family doctors gather to share, exchange, to teach and learn. WONCA has enabled me and those associated with it to go beyond borders to connect, to establish and, in some cases, to renew contacts.
 
I wish WONCA every success as it faces a future filled with exciting possibilities and numerous challenges, and one that I believe will demand an even greater commitment of its officers, members and resources than in the past.
 
I wish the new CEO, Dr Garth Manning, and his team all the best and a satisfying time at WONCA, and befittingly, a little Irish blessing to take WONCA to the next phase of its growth.
 
May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your window pane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
 
To those wonderful friends that I have made along the way in the ‘WONCA Family’ I would simply like to say a BIG thank you and I am heartened to know that

Goodbyes are not forever.
Goodbyes are not the end.
They simply mean I'll miss you
Until we meet again!
               Author unknown
 
My warmest and sincerest thanks always
Yvonne
 
Ms Yvonne Chung
Administrative Manager
WONCA (May 2001 – October 2012)

Wonca executive and secretariat in Cebu 2011 :
back row (l to r): Donald Li, Sylvester Osinowo, Wesley Schmidt, Preethi Wijegoonewardene, Nabil Al Kurashi, Iona Heath, Alfred Loh (CEO),Tony Mathie, Dan Ostergaard.
front row (l to r): Gillian Tan (secretariat), Liliana Arias, Chris Van Weel, Rich Roberts, Michael Kidd, Francine Lemire, Yvonne Chung (secretariat)