Greetings,

Welcome to the first International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM) / Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA) Sexual Health Symposium in Nairobi, Kenya. We are excited to collaborate with the HCG-CCK Cancer Centre, the Kenyan Association of Urological Surgeons (KAUS) and the Faraja Cancer Support Trust in this inaugural event where we aim to expand knowledge on sexual health and cancer.

In February 2019, SMSNA representatives Drs. Wittmann and Pastuszak attended the KAUS Annual Meeting in Kisumu. During that meeting they presented on sexual health and dysfunction after prostate cancer treatment. They made a similar presentation to physicians, nurses and cancer survivors at the HCG-CCK Cancer Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. As a result of participant feedback, it became clear that there are gaps in knowledge regarding sexual rehabilitation strategies after cancer treatment and in the availability of medical, surgical and psychosocial treatments for sexual dysfunctions in Kenya. The physicians, nurses and patients acknowledged this gap and expressed interest to develop education on sexual health following prostate cancer.

Our goal is to make the Sexual Health Symposium in Nairobi a first in a series of activities that can ultimately result in the development of clinical and academic collaborations throughout Kenya, and more generally across Africa. We anticipate that these collaborations will lead to expanded awareness of sexual health issues for patients with cancer and, in turn, result in the development of care aimed at providing treatment for sexual dysfunctions in the region.

The participating societies have orchestrated a comprehensive and diverse program for you covering a number of elements related to sexual wellbeing in cancer patients. The sessions planned also will address the territory of cultural and psychosocial factors when providing treatment.

We thank you for your support and dedication to spreading the knowledge within sexual health, without it an event like this would not be possible. Together we can contribute to each other’s knowledge and help shape the future of sexual medicine.

Sincerely,

Alexander W. Pastuszak, Md, PhD Meeting Committee Chair - SMSNA	Luca Incrocci, MD, PhD Immediate Past President - ISSM
Daniela Wittmann, PhD, MSW Mental Health Committee Chair - SMSNA	Philip Odiyo, MS Patient Support Manager - Faraja Cancer Support Trust