- Surgical Nurse in Gynaecology at Svendborg Hospital, Denmark
Vibeke Amelung graduated as a nurse in 1979 in Svendborg and has been working with gynaecology since 1982. She spent one year at Bispebjerg Hospital (bowel surgery), four years at Odense (paediatric surgery), and 19 years in Herning (gynaecology) before returning to Svendborg in 2003.
Since the early 90s she has been involved in treating women with endometriosis, and have witnessed the progress of treatment – in particularly from a surgical perspective. Recognising the issues which these patients were facing she, and two other nurses, initiated an out-patient clinic in Svendborg for women with endometriosis-related pain issues. At first their clinic took place once a month, but it has now increased to once a week with two physicians permanently involved to ensure continuity of contact for the patients. The clinic has a specific focus on dealing with pain and pain mechanisms.
Svendborg Hospital works closely with Skejby Hospital where all complicated endometriosis surgery takes place in line with Danish National Guidelines, and thus Amelung is instrumental in ensuring that women with disseminated endometriosis are duly referred.
Vibeke Amelung was appointed to the WES Board in September 2011 and was the first paramedic representative. She has been a WES Ambassador since May 2017, when she stepped down from the board.