The present - how it all started

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In February 2021 Camila B. R. De Mattos (Brazil/Sweden) contacted Dawn LaPorte (USA), the then President of RJOS to inform her of the creation of the Brazilian Association of Women in Orthopedics and to acknowledge the important leadership role of RJOS in inspiring women in orthopaedics to come together. 

Camila, Dawn, and then immediate Past President AAOS, Kristy Weber assisted Marí Thiart in establishing the South African Female Ortho Surgeons' Society. 

The idea of organizing the 1st International Symposium on Women in Orthopaedics was born with Camila B.R. De Mattos & Dawn LaPorte as the conveners of the symposium after the enthusiasm of the newly formed society and the acknowledgment of other organizations in other parts of the world. Jennifer Green (Australia), founding member of the International Orthopaedic Diversity Alliance and past Chair of the Orthopaedic Women’s Link was invited as the third co-convener due to her strong background in diversity and global network.  

Our first meeting was on March 6th, 2021 and the name WOW – Women in Orthopaedics Worldwide was created.