2022 Global Learning Conference – Thank You For Joining Us!

The Global Learning Conference 2022

Thank you for an incredible #GLC2022! Over three and a half days we heard from a variety of global speakers who gave talks under the umbrella of this year’s conference theme Living with EDS & HSD through a lifetime, featuring expert presentations, case studies, and panel discussions about the different stages of life with the Ehlers-Danlos syndromes and hypermobility spectrum disorders. An exciting, all-new agenda included topics and tracks covering pregnancy and childbirth, children and teenagers, sex and intimacy, and aging.

Due to the pandemic, our Learning Conferences had been virtual for the last two years, but now that travel restrictions have eased, we were so happy that we could join together in person again. It was so great to be in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, and to welcome people joining virtually from around the world.

WATCH THE EVENT RECORDINGS!

Throughout the conference, we were joined by attendees in 35 countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Georgia, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Latvia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Venezuela. 59% were first-time attendees to an EDS Society conference!

We were very proud to be joined by our incredible partner sponsors for this event, Aytu BioPharma, DM Orthotics, Silver Ring Splint Company, our supporting sponsor, Zebra Splints, and our collaborative sponsor, Thrive Tape. Scroll the #GLC2022 gallery to see our favorite pictures from the event!

NB: We have shared images only featuring those who gave their permission to have their image shared. If you do not wish to appear in this gallery, please do contact [email protected] who will be happy to assist with this.

AZ 1

“Oh my, where do I begin? I really enjoyed the maternal health tract and will take the information back to my patients; really found Emily Rich’s presentation full of practical tips; Chad Shepherd was a dynamic and engaging presenter and introduced me to ACT; Adriana Kekic’s pharmacogenetics presentation was awesome (this is the future of medicine).”

AZ 10
“As a patient and patient advocate as well as a public health professional, many areas touched on during the GLC2022 are applicable across multiple conditions and various patients. I plan to use the information I received to empower not only myself and other EDS patients, but patients across all conditions to get involved with their communities and in health educations.”
AZ 11
“As a pediatrician, I am able to recognize when to assess for EDS and how to approach treatment and care for patients and their parents. As a parent of two individuals who have been diagnosed with hEDS in their adulthoods, I am able to better understand my children and the condition.”
AZ 12
“I have a better understanding of what patients with EDS and hEDS go through in the medical system with limited resources and specialists who understand their condition and can help them manage it successfully. I also plan to incorporate aspects of ACT with a better understanding of behaviors and thought patterns that can be limiting a patient’s progress in therapy.”
AZ 13
“Amazing fellow speakers and I learned a lot about ergonomics and positional changes affecting joints.”
AZ 14
“I learned a lot from other speakers that is directly relevant to my work including managing dysautonomia, self-regulation, and mental health therapeutic techniques.”
AZ 15
“I thought the Society did a great job of making the hybrid event valuable to both virtual and in-person presenters and attendees. There were many places that fostered networking and multidisciplinary discussions.”
AZ 2
“As a newly diagnosed HEDS patient, I learned so much, especially about ob/gyn and ortho! I feel like I have a handle on my condition now!”
AZ 3
“Presentations on bleeding disorders were especially interesting, as well as blood and organ donation. And I appreciated getting information about sex delivered in a practical, non-judgmental way that we can use in our lives (the emotional/relationship side of sex, not just physiological/biological).”
AZ 4
“Where to start…I found my people!”
AZ 5
“Every presentation gave me something. I’ve done one ECHO presentation and it helped me reflect on how I’d do it differently next time.”
AZ 6
“I learnt about scientific research sources I can use in my Bachelor dissertation about EDS. Thank you for that.”
AZ 7
“I enjoyed the clinical presentations, particularly on clinical decision-making for the shoulder and that day’s events. Providers need a lot of guidance with EDS, so anything that educates us on how to best approach EDS is extremely valuable to me. I also learned a lot about swallowing and breathing difficulties and hypermobility within the vocal cords that I never knew before.”
AZ 8
“All of the information was incredibly informative and useful. I plan to share with others the opportunity the society has to learn and encourage attendance and involvement in the future, so others may with learn more about EDS and apply the skills and knowledge to their practice and own lives if/when necessary.”
AZ 9
“I really liked that the conference incorporated the topics to include psychiatry and psychology as to address the mental health aspects of the diagnostic odyssey, living with, coping, and being diagnosed with a rare disorder.”

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