2022 Global Learning Conference FAQs

​If the event is canceled, you will be offered a full refund or a credit to use towards a future Ehlers-Danlos Society event. If the event is postponed, we will email you to inform you of the new dates and offer you an automatic transfer of your registration to the new dates, or a full refund.

Y​es, you can add as many attendees as you like to your cart, and then check out with one payment.

Payment can be made by credit or debit card. We do not accept checks or cash. The only way to purchase a ticket is through our secure registration site, RegFox.

Your tickets will be sent electronically to you by email. We do not send paper tickets by post. If you cannot find your ticket, please email ​[email protected]​ and we will look up your reservation and resend you your ticket/s.

You can either show your ticket on your phone or print a copy off to show at registration.

I​f the event becomes fully booked, we will remove the registration link and open a waitlist. We will only be able to offer spaces if registrants cancel, so we cannot advise on the likelihood of being able to attend. However, we will contact those on the waiting list as soon as we receive notice of cancelation.

W​e offer in-person Junior Zebra tickets for those ages 6 – 17. We are very sorry but children under 6 are not permitted to attend the event. We do not offer virtual tickets to anyone under 18 years old.

If you would like to swap a registrant’s name, you must inform us at least seven days before the event so that we can edit your registration. We cannot accept name swaps on site.

If you purchase a ticket for the entire event, you are free to come and go as you please and can attend as many or as few sessions as you wish. If you purchase a one-day ticket, it can only be used on the specified day for which it was purchased.

Tickets can only be purchased in advance and online, up to seven (7) days before the event, subject to availability.

We are unable to provide invoices to a third party for event registrations. All bookings must be made through our online registration system using a credit or debit card. A receipt for any event bookings will be provided to help you to claim reimbursement.

If your registration was successful, you will receive a confirmation email within a few minutes. Please check your spam folder and add [email protected] to your safe senders list. If you have not received a confirmation or cannot find your confirmation, please email [email protected] so that we can resend it to you.

I​f you cancel before midnight EST on July 1, 2022, you will be entitled to a full refund. Unfortunately, if you cancel after this date, we are unable to issue a refund. However, we are happy to accept replacement delegates up to seven (7) days before the event. Please notify us immediately so that we can update your registration.

To cancel a booking, email [email protected] stating your full name and the event title. If you have arranged for another delegate to take your place, include this in your email so that we can make the necessary arrangements.

If you are unable to attend due to extenuating circumstances, please contact the events team at [email protected] for further advice.

If you are an authorized affiliate of The Ehlers-Danlos Society, please enter the coupon code you have been emailed when checking out. If you have not received a code or if you are interested in finding out more about becoming an affiliate, please email [email protected].

Up to two (2) affiliate representatives are entitled to 20% off ticket prices for our events worldwide, as well as a 25% discount on merchandise purchased at events by the representatives.

Yes, the full event is open to community members.

Yes, the full event is open to healthcare professionals who are encouraged to join in to learn more about the management and treatment of EDS and HSD from a lay perspective. 21 CME credits are available to claim for healthcare professionals who attend live, in person or virtually.

Yes, please visit the registration page and select “Virtual Registration.”

No, virtual tickets cannot be switched to in-person tickets. You will need to apply for a ticket cancellation and refund, and then rebook a new in-person ticket.

Yes, you can email [email protected] and our events team can arrange a ticket type transfer for you. A partial refund will be issued for the price difference, where applicable.

Abstract submissions for oral and speaker presentations are currently closed. If you would like to receive notification of future opportunities for presenting, please sign up to our bi-weekly newsletter, Connect.

P​lease​ email [email protected] with the potential speaker’s name, job title and organization, and a brief description (under 100 words) of what they would talk about. Your suggestion will be considered by the conference organizing committee and we will let you know by email if the speaker has been accepted.

Please email [email protected]​ with your full name and the name of the event you attended, and we will send you a copy of your receipt.

W​e will upload the event presentations to our website and to the event app, Whova, before the event. Any other media (video/audio recordings, etc.) which may have been produced will take up to six weeks to become available. Registrants will have lifetime access to this content.

We believe that involving the EDS and HSD community in our conferences and events is important. Our conferences are an opportunity for people to debate important issues in health and social care, and patients and carers are an essential part of those discussions.

• Scholarships – To help ensure those with EDS and HSD can contribute to our conferences, we offer scholarships for free registrations
• Community Voices – We always endeavour to have at least one community voice on our event agendas, either volunteering, presenting, chairing, facilitating, or on a panel
• Planning the event – Where possible, we will ask advice from community members on suggestions for speakers and content
• Volunteering at the event – Volunteers are a vital part of our events. If you are interested in volunteer opportunities, we invite you to learn more by emailing [email protected]

M​any of our conference attendees are solo travelers. Our goal is to make you feel as welcome and comfortable as possible. We recommend making the most of our dedicated event app, to communicate with your fellow attendees and arrange and attend meetups during the event. Full details on the app will be announced two weeks before the event.

The venue is wheelchair accessible in all areas. The hotel provides golf carts to transport you as and when you need it. Please take a few moments to fill out our accessibility survey to help us to gain insight into ways we can improve the accessibility of The Ehlers-Danlos Society’s events and conferences.

Lunch and refreshment breaks are included in your ticket price. Breakfast and dinner are not included. There is a Starbucks on site as well as other restaurants where breakfast, refreshments, snacks, and other meals can be purchased.

You can find the full lunch menu here.

W​e take our attendees’ dietary restrictions and food allergies very seriously. Please carefully complete the dietary request section on the registration form​ when you purchase your ticket, including any food allergies. You can find our lunch menus for this event ​here.​ If you have any questions or concerns about the catering at this event, please email [email protected].

We understand and sympathize with our community’s concerns about the summer heat of Arizona. We have chosen a spacious and comfortable, recently-renovated venue with excellent air conditioning. The event spaces are all indoors with little need to go outside. In case of an emergency, an ER and medical center are within 15 minutes of the venue. We will have plenty of water stations situated around the venue to ensure you can always stay hydrated.
You can take the following precautions to prevent heat exhaustion and other heat-related illnesses:

• Wear loose-fitting, lightweight clothing. Wearing excess clothing or clothing that fits tightly won’t allow your body to cool properly.
• Protect against sunburn.  Sunburn affects your body’s ability to cool itself, so protect yourself outdoors with a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. Apply sunscreen generously and reapply every two hours — or more often if you are swimming or sweating.
• Drink plenty of fluids. Staying hydrated will help your body sweat and maintain a normal body temperature.
• Take extra precautions with certain medications. Be on the lookout for heat-related problems if you take medications that can affect your body’s ability to stay hydrated and dissipate heat.
• Take it easy during the hottest parts of the day. If you cannot avoid strenuous activity in hot weather, drink fluids and rest frequently in a cool spot. Try to schedule exercise or physical labor for cooler parts of the day, such as early morning or evening.

If you think you are experiencing heat exhaustion, please:

• Stop all activity and rest.
• Move to a cooler place.
• Drink cool water or a sports drink.
• Try cooling methods. If possible, take a cool shower, soak in a cool bath, or put towels soaked in cool water on your skin.
• Loosen clothing. Remove any unnecessary clothing and make sure your clothes are lightweight and nonbinding.

Please contact a doctor, or a society staff member if your signs or symptoms worsen or if they don’t improve within one hour. If you are with someone showing signs of heat exhaustion, seek immediate medical attention if they become confused or agitated, lose consciousness, or is unable to drink.

We do not offer reserved seating. We suggest arriving at the sessions as early as possible to ensure you are seated with family members or caregivers. We will have dedicated tables reserved towards the back of the ballroom for wheelchair users.

We strive to make our events as comfortable as possible for our community. For community events, whenever space permits, we have “cabaret style” seating, which is round tables with seats around them in a crescent to enable you to lean and rest on the tables.

​Outside food and drink is not permitted anywhere inside the venue unless it is medically required. You may bring cell phones and electronic devices but photographing or recording the sessions is not permitted. We will have refrigerators where you can store medication; for more information on arranging this service please email [email protected].

You are welcome to bring your service dog, but other pets are not permitted.

C​hildren over the age of 6 are welcome to attend. Any attendee under the age of 18 must always be accompanied by an adult over the age of 18.

Y​es, we have a dedicated event app which will have all you need to know in the run up to the event and will be updated regularly with alerts. Full details on the app and how to download it will be sent to the email address you provided at registration a few weeks before the event.

The Gala Dinner will take place on Friday, August 5, 2022, at 7:30 pm. A ticket includes a buffet dinner and live entertainment. The gala dinner is suitable for all ages. We invite you to submit your application to perform at our farewell dazzle!

We are delighted to welcome our partner sponsors to the Global Learning Conference, DM Orthotics.​ More sponsors will be announced in the upcoming months.

Yes, we email final information to all registrants one week before the event, which will include the times that registration and the program will begin, directions to the venue, information on our event app, and a copy of the program.

Yes! We will have our popular EDS shop open at this event. Payment can be made by cash or credit card. As we can only stock a small range of our products on site, you might like to visit the​ shop page​ on our website to view the entire range.

Based on current CDC guidance, we will keep our COVID-19 protocol updated regularly for the Global Learning Conference in Arizona taking place from August 3-6, 2022. 

Maricopa County (where the Global Learning Conference will take place) is currently at a COVID-19 community level of “Low”.   

The current policies are in place for Marriott international staff, based on the CDC Guidelines: 

1. Unvaccinated Marriott Staff: Unless located in a county with a CDC-designated Community Level “High,” unvaccinated associates are no longer required to wear face coverings indoors or outdoors.  

1. Fully-vaccinated Marriott Staff: Fully-vaccinated associates (based upon HR reporting) are not required to wear face coverings indoors or outdoors. Any Associate who wishes to wear a face covering while working may continue to do so at their discretion, however we are unable to require or mandate this for our associates. 

If you are attending, please think about the steps you need to take to protect yourself and your loved ones from COVID-19. 

• Although we will not require proof of vaccination, we recommend that you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines. 
• We require that masks are worn indoors, except when eating and drinking, but you do not need to wear masks when outdoors. 

• If you are sick and need to be around others, or are caring for someone who has COVID-19, it is recommended that you always wear a mask, indoors and outdoors. 
• If you are at risk for severe illness, wear a medical grade face mask or a respirator that provides you with greater protection. 

Testing before a gathering can give you information about your risk of spreading COVID-19. 

• We do not require proof of a negative COVID-19 test, but please consider using a self-test before joining the Global Learning Conference, along with others who live in your household. 
• Stay home if you test positive, even if you do not have symptoms. 
• Stay home if you are sick or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. 
• Communicate with the people you will attend the event with about prevention strategies. 

• Attending a large gathering such as The Global Learning Conference increases your chance of being in close contact with people outside your household and being exposed to COVID-19. 
• If you test positive for COVID-19 during the event, inform the event staff and leave the venue immediately. 

If you come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 during the event: 

• Know when to quarantine or isolate. 
• Get tested at least 5 days after your last close contact. 
• Monitor your symptoms. 
• Know how to talk to your close contacts from the event. 

The Ehlers-Danlos Society event organizers will do everything in our power to make the event safe. We will comply with any local and international restrictions in place at the time and we reserve the right to check for proof of vaccination and negative test before the event. 

• If you are unable to attend the event because of requirements or restrictions introduced after you have registered, you will be entitled to a full refund of your registration fee. 
• If the event is canceled due to the pandemic, we will refund all registration fees. 
• If the event is postponed due to the pandemic, we will refund your registration fee if you are unable to attend on the new dates. 

In addition to the mask mandate, the following precautions will be in place: 

• Meeting rooms will be closely managed, and the maximum number of people allowed in each room will be clearly displayed and communicated. Meeting rooms will be set up to ensure social distancing can be maintained. 
• Hand sanitizer will be available in all meeting rooms and communal areas for use by everybody on site. 
• Areas such as tabletops, computer and presentation equipment, AC and heating controls, and door handles will be cleaned before and after every use.  

• Cleaning team will ensure they always maintain social distance during the cleaning process. Cleaning will be monitored, and any high-risk areas or concerns will be raised immediately to the event organizers.  
• Regular cleaning will be maintained throughout the event in all toilet areas by cleaning contractors. 
• Staff, vendors, contractors, and attendees must ensure hands are washed on exiting the toilets.  
• The use of multiple entrances and exits will be mandated to discourage crowded waiting areas. 
• We aim to eliminate lines or queues wherever possible and encourage people to stay at least six (6) feet apart by providing signage or other visual cues such as tape or chalk marks. 

• We ask customers and staff to use touchless payment options wherever possible, and exchange payments by placing them on a receipt tray or on the counter rather than by hand to avoid direct hand-to-hand contact. 

To ensure you are as comfortable as possible being back at in-person events we will offer a color-coded comfort system. Green, amber, and red wristbands will be available should you wish to communicate if and how you would like to socially distance with fellow attendees. Your wristbands will be offered to you at the registration desk upon arrival.

1. I wish to participate in the Global Learning Conference 2022.

2. I understand that there are risks inherent to my participation, and I accept full responsibility for my own health and safety during the event.

3. By registering for the event, I accept any risk associated with potential exposure to COVID-19. The meeting organizers and the host venue will take reasonable precautions in accordance with the CDC, local, state, and federal guidelines, but it is my ultimate responsibility as attendee to protect myself appropriately from potential spread.

4. I agree that my participation is fully voluntary, and that I will not hold The Ehlers-Danlos Society or any of its employees, contractors, or volunteers responsible for any harm that may result from my participation during this event.

5. By attending and/or participating in the event, I am giving full release of liability to The Ehlers-Danlos Society and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, and agents to the fullest extent permitted by law.

6. I agree to wear a face mask indoors at all times, unless I am exempt.

7. I agree to self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19, and in the unfortunate circumstance that I exhibit signs of COVID-19 or that I test positive for COVID-19 during the event, I agree to leave the event spaces immediately. I understand I will not receive a refund for my ticket, and that I will be fully responsible for covering any unexpected costs incurred, including but not limited to lodging, travel, medical expenses, and food and beverages.