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SpanishHillsborough, NJ, November 5, 2019 – To mark 20 years of publishing the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) presented a special anniversary award to Sally Lester, DVM, MVS, DACVP, for her exceptional contributions to the Journal in advancement of veterinary healthcare for cats around the world during the last two decades. The award was presented to Dr. Lester on November 1, 2019 during the AAFP 5th World Feline Veterinary Conference in San Francisco, CA.
The JFMS 20th Anniversary Award commemorates Dr. Lester’s many years of service as an editorial board member for the JFMS. Since the early years of the JFMS, Dr. Lester has been a prodigious reviewer and has reviewed more articles than any other reviewer since the AAFP began tracking the articles in 2012 (the year JFMS moved to its current publisher, SAGE). Between August 2006 and December of 2012, when this category was discontinued, she was distinguished as one of five Associate Editors. Since the end of 2011, she has reviewed 63 originally submitted articles in addition to all of their numerous subsequent revisions.
“Dr. Lester’s generosity with her time and expertise has made a tremendous difference to the practice of feline medicine, and we could not be more thrilled to recognize her contribution during the special AAFP conference,” said Heather O’Steen, CEO of the AAFP. “We extend our gratitude for all she has done to improve the lives of cats and the people who love and care for them.”
Dr. Lester has always been a trail blazer with a passion for cats, particularly Abyssinians. She graduated from Washington State University in 1967 and went back to school to obtain her Masters in Veterinary Science from the University of Saskatchewan Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 1979. She opened Central Laboratory for Veterinarians in Langley, BC, Canada in 1982, which under her guidance, grew into an extremely successful, veterinarian owned lab providing services to all of British Columbia and Alberta. While in her care, the lab was ISO 17025 certified, the first full-service veterinary diagnostic facility to achieve the highest level of laboratory accreditation in North America. She was certified by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP) as a clinical pathologist in 1980 and as an anatomic pathologist in 1988, one of the few dual certified veterinary pathologists in the world (fewer than 30 in 1988 and currently 53 worldwide). In addition to her extensive reviewing contributions, Dr. Lester educates practitioners on the pitfalls of sample collection and handling and laboratory equipment, and what should be taken into consideration when interpreting laboratory results that may impact management and outcome for patients. She has developed diagnostic tests to help veterinarians care for their patients. Dr. Lester has contributed as a consultant on Veterinary Information Network (VIN) for many years and reviews for several journals.
“As an analytical thinker who is extremely well read, her reviews are very helpful as they offer insight into basic science. Additionally, as a pathologist who interacts directly with practitioners, she has an extraordinary grasp of practical, clinically relevant needs. She represents everything the AAFP stands for by improving the health and welfare of cats through high standards of practice, continuing education, and evidence-based medicine and, because she has served the JFMS consistently since its inception, we are honored to present her with the 20th Anniversary JFMS award,” said Margie Scherk, DMV, DABVP (feline practice), co-editor of the JFMS for the AAFP.
Dr. Lester also cares about the health and welfare of all animals and creatures in need. She volunteers at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary every year and is involved in the TNR program on Kauaii. The 2019 AAFP Conference and 5th World Feline Veterinary Conference took place October 31 to November 3, 2019, in San Francisco, CA where over 1,700 attendees were expected. The special conference was a first-of-its-kind conference on Complex Disease Management, which concentrated on exploring feline comorbidities. The interaction and processes between two or more distinct diseases can be challenging and yet, practices experience this occurrence almost daily. Veterinary professionals acquired knowledge about complex disease management and what to do if treatments appear to conflict.
About the American Association of Feline Practitioners
The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) supports its members in improving the health and welfare of cats through high standards of practice, continuing education, and evidence-based medicine. As a trusted leader in the veterinary community, the AAFP has a long-standing reputation and track record for facilitating high standards of practice and providing educational resources to veterinary teams, including guidelines for practice excellence and an annual conference. Over the years, the AAFP has encouraged veterinary professionals to continuously reevaluate preconceived notions of practice strategies in an effort to advance the quality of feline medicine. Launched in 2012, the Cat Friendly Practice® (CFP) program (catvets.com/cfp/veterinary-professionals) was created to improve the treatment, handling, and overall healthcare provided to cats. Its purpose is to reduce the stress of the veterinary visit for cats, caregivers, and the veterinary team and provide veterinary practices with the tools and resources to elevate the standard of care provided to cats. With the belief that cat caregivers are instrumental to feline health and welfare, the AAFP launched catfriendly.com, a consumer-focused, reliable educational resource powered by feline veterinarians branded Cat Friendly Homes. This educational resource is tailored to the needs of cat caregivers who want to provide the very best care for their cat and is accompanied by a monthly newsletter, The Cat Column, as well as educational content.
About the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery
The Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery is the official journal of the AAFP and the ISFM and is published in partnership with SAGE. All AAFP and ISFM guidelines are free to access and download from guidelines.jfms.com.