Summary of Accomplishments

2002, June: GPDA establishes as a Canadian federally registered non-profit charity. GPDA was established to fill the worldwide void for digestive motility disorders/diseases. Prior to 2002, there was excruciatingly little information available and no organizations visible in their actions to champion the cause for gastroparesis and more severe digestive motility diseases.

2003, May, Orlando Florida: GPDA organized, along with the American Motility Society, the first International Task Force meeting on gastroparesis.

2004, May, GPDA president, along with a panel of experts, presented to the US National Institutes of Health. This action translated, in 2005 into an NIH, RFA (Request for Application) for 15 million dollars to fund a small consortium of clinical investigators to study gastroparesis.

2004, Sept., Rochester, MN.: GPDA organizes, along with members of the American Neurogastroenterology & Motility Society, the first multidisciplinary team of experts to devise treatment guidelines for gastroparesis. Guidelines were published in 2006.

2004, Sept, Bethesda, MD: GPDA met with the FDA new drug and compliance division regarding the import ban on domperidone. This led to the FDA initiated IND program for continued access to domperidone for American gastroparesis patients.

2005, GPDA conceived and wrote the proclamation for recognizing May as Digestive Motility Awareness Month.

2006, GPDA works on a campaign to release our proclamation to every state governor, House of Representatives and Senate in the US, as well as to every Premier and to the Canadian Federal Minister of Health. Our proclamation was officially recognized in numerous jurisdictions across North America.

2006, GPDA, working with Archie Manning (football legend and father to Peyton Manning Superbowl champion) and the University of Mississippi (Old Miss), created the first ever public service announcement (PSA) for gastroparesis. Our PSA was aired across the United States and by CNN on their airport feed network.

2006, GPDA, helps to organize an awareness evening at Shea Stadium in Flushings, New York, with the broadcast (on stadium screen) of our PSA and participation in home plate ceremonies.

2007, GPDA drafts a document and begins the process of dialogue with the University of Calgary to start finding a pathway to establishing the first ever comprehensive digestive motility centre in Canada.