Annual Sickle Cell Disease Patient & Family Educational Symposium

The Annual Sickle Cell Disease Patient & Family Educational Symposium is the only national sickle cell convention designed, created and hosted by the sickle cell patient and family community.  Now in its fifth year, the meeting has grown in size and scope.

Each year the meeting is hosted by a partnership of sickle cell CBOs, patients and advisors.  In 2018, two groups host the meeting. These groups are The Sickle Cell Foundation of Tennessee and the SCCA. They will also partner with Hope for SCD and the IASCNAPA.

Warrior Mental Health

With a focus on Warrior Mental Health, and tracks designed specifically for teens and young adults, children and caregivers, and warrior men, the 2018 meeting represents our most robust agenda to date.  In addition, the sickle cell community designed the agenda with topics identified by patients, caregivers and healthcare supporters. So topics range from parenting issues and science to mental health and college life.

Registration

Firstly, registration opens Wednesday, August 1st at 10 AM.  We begin festivities at 4 PM with an opening reception and ice-breakers.  Early risers are invited to join us each morning at 7 AM for morning yoga and workout.  The General Plenary session starts at 10 AM on each day, followed by multi-track breakout sessions, workshops, roundtable discussions and panels.  We are excited to offer lunch each day accompanied by a main general session on a wide variety of topics of interest to the sickle cell warrior community.  In addition, each day offers the ability to see all that Memphis has to offer.

Special Evening Sessions

We are excited to offer several special evening sessions.  Join us on Wednesday night for Warrior Game Night.  On Thursday we will host Warriors After Dark Men-Only and Warrior after Dark Women-Only (age 17+/15-16 with parent permission).  Full registration includes this session. This session is for adults and divided by gender.  For example, we will discuss a variety of adult-themed topics that are important to our warrior community. Enjoy the sights and tourist sites of Memphis on Friday. Likewise, no sessions occur of Friday. Then grab your ticket for the Awards Gala/Prom on Saturday night.

To sum up, join other Warriors as we learn from and support each other on all aspects of Warrior life, including dealing with work, school, and relationships. We have special classes for teens, parents, couples, and adults living with sickle cell. Our panels, sessions, and learning lunches are developed for sickle cell warriors and caregivers, by sickle cell warriors and caregivers.

For more information and a full conference outline click here.