A Tribute to Urs Gamper

The Association IATF (International Aquatic Therapy Faculty) was founded by Urs Gamper and Johan Lambeck in 2007. IATF is a charity according to Swiss Civil Law Act and is committed to therapy in water (Aquatic Therapy), initiates and develops this world-wide.

Urs Gamper has been president from 2007 till past April 23^rd. He resigned as president during the General Meeting, prior to the ICEBAT congress in Toronto. According to the IATF constitution also IATF now is based in Washington DC, the residence of Eugenia Hernández, our new President.

Urs Gamper was member of the group of physiotherapists, which – under guidance of James McMillan – modified Halliwick to Water Specific Therapy. This took place around 1975, since then Urs has always been committed to the development of aquatic therapy, in particular the Bad Ragaz Ring Method. A part of the tribute to Urs is a roadmap, composed by Eugenia Hernández, in which – in words and images – about his achievements. In addition, the IATF Senior Lecturer Marcel Hulselmans wrote a homage on behalf of our members. It’s a pleasure for IATF, to present the roadmap and the homage in this blog for the ATU.

Johan Lambeck

Vice-president IATF

Homage by Marcel Hulselmans

Most of us try in our lives to make a difference, to leave something useful, when our lifespan is completed. Something new, that was not there before, an unchartered route. Not all of us achieve that. Two men: Urs Gamper and Johan Lambeck, achieved just that.

Universities are chartered, planned routes, decorated with human flaws, like envy and vanity.

Urs and Johan went an unchartered way and lead aquatic therapy from a by medical doctors well willing tolerated leisure activity, to an acknowledged scientific based therapy.

From billiard backrooms to university lecture halls.

lt is said, “heroes go unsung" but I feel that now is a moment that merit must be put in words. Therefore, I have the honor to give you this token of gratitude and-appreciation for a lifetimes work dedicated to aquatic therapy of which we, as IATF members and countless patients enjoyed the results. It is a trophy of Lifetime Achievement of creating a

,,worldwide wave" of serious aquatic therapy, that was not there before and which will endure.

On behalf of all lATF members,

Thank you.