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The Education Continues Long After the 16th Annual SMA Conference

Wednesday June 20- Saturday June 23 were dedicated to all things SMA. The Twin Cities were lucky to be the hosts of the 2012 National Spinal Muscular Atrophy Conference. With over 1,100 attendees the conference was a great success and was  jam packed with fun and learning, PHS was excited to be there every step of the way.

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PHS Respiratory Therapist, Carrie, shows conference attendee’s an electronic percussor

There were many sessions, events and activities keeping attended busy over the 4 day conference, including:

  • 40 Vendors, a record number for the conference. PHS was happy to participate as a vendor discussing services, technology, equipment and cares for SMA patients.
  • The first ever SMA Family and Research Dance Party! (The kids sure were exhausted the next day)
  • 38 workshop sessions for SMA families and professionals.
  • The Meet-N-Greet where families connected with one another at the very start of the conference.
  • A Family Fun Fest with over 30 carnival games for all of the children.
  • Over 200 SMA Researchers who attended the 16th Annual SMA Research Meeting, joined in the Researcher Relay Race where SMA Researchers raced in manual wheelchairs with some of the children.
  • The Children’s Program, which allowed parents to attend workshop session and where over 250 children enjoyed activities, movies, games and craft projects.
  • A Researcher Q and A session for parents to hear about the most up to date research news.

Believe it or not, the weekend was not only about fun. There was a lot of learning that took place as well. We recently received the link to all of the presentations that have been posted online thus far from the conference. So, if you weren’t able to attend, or if there was one workshop you couldn’t make it to, now is your chance to watch what you missed. Click here to be taken to the Families of SMA website where PDFs, PowerPoint presentations and videos of the sessions have been posted.

Originally published: July 27, 2012

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