On July 17, 2025, the WIRhE Board approved an important step forward for our organization: the establishment of the WIRhE Foundation, a nonprofit based in Amsterdam, as the new global lead for our work. This structure will strengthen our ability to secure funding, build partnerships with NGOs, and expand our reach.
The Foundation will be chaired by Dr. Ellen van der Schoot and will oversee newly formed regional subgroups, including WIRhE North America, WIRhE Latin America, and WIRhE Africa, etc. for each continental region. Each subgroup will have its own Chair and Board members, who will also serve on the WIRhE Foundation Board. This model ensures broader global and multidisciplinary representation, a critical step in addressing the worldwide challenge of Rh disease.
As part of this transition:
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Dr. Steven Spitalnik will serve as Chair of WIRhE North America.
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Board members Drs. Giancarlo Di Renzo, Gerry Visser, Isaac Odame, Brie Stotler, and Hua Shan will continue their leadership within the regional boards.
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Ms. Gaia Mori has joined as Foundation Coordinator, supporting day-to-day operations and strategic planning.
Looking ahead, WIRhE will host a global meeting on May 28, 2026 in Leiden, the Netherlands, during the Alloimmunization Conference. This meeting will focus on the global anti-D shortage and provide updates on ongoing projects. One of our key priorities is securing funding to support participation from colleagues in low- and middle-income countries.
We invite all those interested in joining our regional boards or contributing to this global effort to contact us at info@wirhe.org. Together, we can strengthen collaboration and move closer to ending preventable deaths and disabilities caused by Rh disease.