2012: A TRULY MOMENTOUS YEAR What an amazing year! When I was beginning my term as ASPS President, running from one media interview to the next, I felt the momentum beginning and it hasn’t stopped since. September in Denver brought a flurry of interest in the “Do Your Homework” patient safety awareness campaign to address the combined issues of white coat confusion, truth in advertising and board certification. The year ended by establishing more awareness for our profession and our work with patients through the BRA Day campaign. In 2012, we launched the first Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day in the United States – commonly referred to as BRA Day USA - with events all around the country in support of the cause, including the Jewel benefit concert and celebrity chef dinner during Plastic Surgery The Meeting. This concert, combined with corporate support and individual donations, brought in more than $400,000 to the Breast Reconstruction Awareness Fund of The Plastic Surgery Foundation. We broke the mold in many ways and we did it with your help. Both campaigns provided important patient information and both received unprecedented media attention through the use of multi-media news releases and public service announcements, pre-produced news stories for national and local news, social media campaigns, and print advertising. These are just a few examples of our success this year, but the work is far from done. We will continue to fight the cosmetic tax and actively participate in Washington when they reshape the formula that will replace the SGR, the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate. It has truly been a nonstop adventure riding the wave during my year as ASPS President with so many new and exciting member benefits and far reaching opportunities taking shape. As we move into the future, the key is to keep the momentum going. Let’s continue what we started in 2012 - we owe it to our patients and plastic surgery. Sincerely, MALCOLM Z. ROTH, MD, FACS Immediate Past President PA G E 5