Kat Medical have been the sole distributors for Nidacon for over 10 years now. Nidacon are a Swedish company manufacturing media primarily for purification and storage of sperm for the ART ( assisted reproductive technology ) market and invited distributors and end-users for training on a new product they have developed for use in vitrification.
On the 19th January 2010 ( after many dramas with the visa application, but that’s subject for another story), I travelled from a hot mine dump strewn Westrand to a very different environment in Gothenburg, on the west Coast of Sweden. Unfortunately there are no direct flights from SA to Sweden so with Turkish Airlines I flew via Istanbuls Ataturk airport, sounds simple!
Initially all went according to plan, no delays, minimum stop-over times and to be frank, partly as I was born in Scotland, the weather was to my liking i.e. in the minuses! Snow really does make a city look pretty, a clean ( albeit deep) covering of snow over every surface which appears to brighten up what in a city usually appears dull, roofs and roads. This doesn’t last long in Sweden especially in winter , as the sun rises after 9am and fades from 3pm onwards creating a night time appearance very early in a South Africans bio-rhythm. None the less after 26 hrs of flying, catching trains ( 160km/h plus!) and buses I needed to make good friends with a bed and pillow. I awoke with the sun ( what would we do without that big star) and travelled via taxi to Nidacon facilities for the much anticipated vitrification training. I was truly blown away by the friendly, hospitable and professional environment the staff at Nidacon portray and what a facility they have. The building stands 4 storeys high and the production labs are really a sigh to behold- absolutely immaculate!
We started training with lunch and from here on I knew this was going to be enjoyable. A small yet cozy group of distributors and embryologists started arriving from a variety of destinations around the globe including Turkey, Norway, Egypt and China.
The program was eventful and timeous ( in true Swedish fashion i.e. almost to the designated minute ) with a relaxed yet informative variety of speakers sharing their knowledge.
A splendid supper ended the day after a practical demonstration of the vitrification process by Thorir Hardarson from the fertility centre at Gothenburg.
Day 2 began with practical training on the density gradient staining and cryopreservation techniques using Nidacons Pure sperm 40/80, and cryprotect reagents. This was very useful and informative and I would like to thank Paul Holmes , Director of Nidacon and all his wonderful staff for a truly fantastic and educational trip, one day I will return.
Alas my journey home was not so simple. The snow which was falling from the day I arrived was not abating therefore take off at the designated time did not occur resulting in the connecting flight from Istanbul to JHB leaving without me. Ah well, I could think of worse places in the world to be stranded than Turkey so I yet again dressed up to resemble a snowman and explored the wonderful city of Istanbul and its many markets.
Eventually ( 2 days later ) I was happily sitting in my seat bound for JHB reflecting on the vast differences and experiences that had occurred in the past 6 days and I have never before been so keen to see a mine dump as I was landing back on SA soil!
1. Please feel free to drop me a mail here should any of the above mentioned products be of interest to yourselves or your colleagues and I will respond promptly
Pictures to follow soon.
Regards
Robin McCulloch
