International Continence Society

Mary Lynne Van Poelgeest-Pomfret is a long-standing international patient advocate promoting the rights of patients at both national and international levels. At the forefront of health-related concerns in the Netherlands and internationally. A member of several patient advocacy movements and organizations like IAPO (International Alliance of Patient Organizations) and EPF (European Patients Forum). She has organized several workshops and given numerous presentations at major international scientific and patient advocacy organizations. A member of the Steering Group MedTech – Patient Dialogue as an EPF representative. She also sits on a number of EPF working groups and steering committees, culminating in the Universal Access to Healthcare campaign in December 2017. She became a Board member of EFGCP in April 2016 and sits on a number of EFGCP working groups. She became Vice-Chair of EFGCP as of March 2017 and is keen to actively contribute to the work of EFGCP, primarily from the patient perspective. She participated in the first EUPATI workshop of patient advocate experts in Frankfurt in September 2012 and actively participates in ËUPATI. Lynne became the President of WFIP - World Federation for Incontinent Patients in January 2011: an international umbrella organization dedicated to enhancing the rights of patients suffering from incontinence and pelvic floor dysfunction in general. In this capacity the latest initiatives include a collaborative agreement with the European Association of Urology relating to patient advocacy issues and a Patient Platform. Also until April 2016, chairperson of the ICP – Netherlands Interstitial Cystitis Patients’ Organization. Most recently January 2017 she became a member of the ‘Core Board’ for one of the EIP – AHA Focus groups led by the University of Valencia, Spain.
As of mid 2018 a member of the PACT Steering Committee and also a member of PARADIGM as patient engagement representative of EFGCP. These latter initiatives are very much concerned with access to healthcare and patient engagement throughout healthcare in Europe.
Currently as of 2019 collaborative partner with several research institutes including Leed University on a project relating to incontinence and self-care.
Lynne worked for Shell in the Netherlands for 23 years and has a BA degree from the UK and Drs. Degree from Leiden University in the Netherlands.