Letter from the Editor-in-Chief

Dear Brachytherapy Friends, It finally happened! We could meet face-to-face after over two years gap in direct contact. Between 6th and 10th of May, the ESTRO2022 congress took place in Copenhagen, Denmark. I find the meeting successful, fruitful, and deeply reviving. I reckon that online conferences will never entirely replace personal contact, open discussions, and backstage conversations. However, remote communication has its’ advantages. This year’s meeting was unique for me, for the Greater Poland Cancer Center in Poznań, Poland, and for the Polish Brachytherapy Society (PBS). It happened that the GEC-ESTRO Committee decided to honor Prof. Janusz Skowronek with a prestigious 2022 ESTRO Iridium Award in memoriam (Photo 1). One beautiful Sunday afternoon 8th of May, I took the opportunity to present a short introduction to the award lecture and briefly summarized Prof. Skowronek’s life achievements in the field of brachytherapy. I felt touched and privileged to do so! Thank you, Ina Jürgenliemk- Schulz, for your kind invitation. After the introduction, the PBS President, Piotr Wojcieszek, gave a creative speech titled: “You’ll never walk alone – The lesson late Professor Janusz Skowronek taught me”, which deserved an applause. Then, the GEC-ESTRO Committee Past Chair presented the medal to Piotr Wojcieszek who immediately passed it to my hands, and asked me to secure it and find a worthy place for presentation at Janusz’s home department. If he could speak for himself, I am sure he would have felt pride, satisfaction, and distinction. He would have felt noticed and appreciated by the international brachytherapy community, for which he strove for many years. The award is a milestone for the Polish Brachytherapy Society, and all its’ members are also very grateful. Why do I mention these facts? Most of you probably know the answer. From the start of his scientific career, Janusz Skowronek desired to create an international, open-access professional scientific journal. After demanding but fruitful preparation, he achieved it. On the 5th of November, 2008, the Journal of Contemporary Brachytherapy (JCB) was established, the one you are holding in your hands right now. For ten long years, Prof. Skowronek played the role of its’ originator, initiator, propagator, reviewer, papers author, and most important, the Editor-in-Chief. With respect, the JCB Editorial Board honors his memory! The JCB 3/2022 issue contains four clinical...


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