The Foundation European Congress on Extracorporeal Circulation Technology (FECECT) was established with the aim to create an International Platform for the exchange of knowledge in regard to Extracorporeal Circulation Technology and related areas for Perfusionists, Clinical, and Non-Clinical researchers in co-operation with representatives of Eastern and Western European countries or representatives of areas within Europe, with the same Language or Cultural background. The concern was to improve the quality of care for patients treated with the use of the above mentioned technology.
The second aim is to sponsor local National Initiatives to establish a National Society and National meetings for the exchange of knowledge in the European countries by sharing organizational experiences and by educational support and financial support when possible.
Origins
The European Community of people working in the field of health care, where extracorporeal circulation technology is applied, has a longstanding history of attempts to establish an European Organization. However, probably due to large educational differences, language barriers and cultural differences, none of these attempts were successful. In the seventies and the beginning of the eighties, the European Committee of Organizations involved with the Bio-Technology of Extra-Corporeal Circulation (ECOBITECC) was already in existence, but unfortunately it never became an official European Organization.
Still there were some so-called European Congresses organized during the years. These were a result of enthusiastic National society initiatives but without an active organizing and scientific committee with representatives of the majority of European countries. These meetings where held in Madrid, Spain in 1984, in Bologna, Italy in 1986 and in London, United Kingdom in 1988. In 1989 the Dutch society was challenged to organize the next European congress. The involved leaders of the society accepted these challenge and started their organization by first inviting leading representatives of the different Eastern and Western European countries with a history of scientific and organizational activities on a National or other International level. These representatives where invited to be a member of the organizational or scientific committee to be involved with organizational decisions and the scientific content of the meeting. They also decided to establish a foundation for this organization to protect potential conflict of interests between their National society and the organization of the European congress, also in regard to the financial risks.
After a very successful European congress, held in Noordwijk, The Netherlands in 1991, the question was raised weather to leave this organization to a one time successful attempt of a European cooperation, or to use the little positive amount of money left over after this congress for a future committee meeting to decide to continue the successful cooperation to organize more European congresses. On a next meeting with the organizational and scientific committee members in Arles, France in 1992, all members supported the idea to continue their International cooperation with the established organizational structure in order to work also on future European congresses on a two yearly base.
Additional to the second FECECT congress in Arles, France in 1993, FECECT facilitated also an interested group of people with the attempt to organize an European Society, but also this initiative failed. However, in a second attempt facilitated but not organized by FECECT in 1995, during the FECECT meeting in Waterloo, Belgium, a group of people finally succeeded, after a preparation time of two years. They succeeded in establishing a European society with an officially elected board. This society was called the European Society of Extracorporeal Circulation Technology (EuroSECT). About 140 persons signed-up as members, but after paying their dues they heard nothing further from the people who were elected as board members of this organization, consequently also this attempt was short lived.
Since 1989 the FECECT organized the European congress every two years, with a growing International attendance even from beyond the European borders. In addition they sponsored initiatives to establish a National societies and National meetings in several European countries.