The 2019 Annual SMA Conference, now in its 31st year, is set to kick off on June 28 and continue into a weekend full of programs and events that bring families, researchers and healthcare professionals together.
This year’s conference will be the largest to date. We’re expecting a record number of 2,500 attendees, including over 700 researchers and clinicians from 160 organizations. There will be 65 family workshops, 165 research presentations and 70 care presentations given throughout the weekend as well.
Special events during the Annual SMA Conference include the Family Meet & Greet, PJ Party and Movie Night, and a night at Disneyland Park.
This one-of-a-kind event is generously supported by 18 sponsors and 16 exhibitors. Our special thanks to AveXis, Biogen and Genentech as the Presenting Sponsors of the 2019 Annual SMA Conference. Through these incredible sponsors, we provided assistance for travel or registration to 1,100 attendees, in addition to subsiding food and other costs for all.
Meeting the Needs of Our Community as the Landscape of SMA Changes
SMA is now changing. Individual needs and even our whole community are changing. We are expanding our research, care and support programs, while our commitment and community values remain the same as they always have been. As therapies are approved, research and care are more important than ever. We need to understand and optimize the impact of these therapies and develop combination approaches and additional therapeutic targets to treat all ages, stages, and types of SMA, especially for teens and adults.
One of our most important initiatives in this area is the SMA Care Center Network. The network now has 14 centers and we will continue to add care centers across the US, to improve care and results, and to increase access to new therapies.
How to Get Involved
Can’t make it to Anaheim? Whether you’re able to join us or not, we’re planning several interactive opportunities for you and your family to get involved, including:
- Facebook livestream of the Opening General Session on Friday, June 28th and the It’s a Wonderful Life panel on Monday, July 1st
- Wear purple and orange on Saturday, June 29th
- Live-tweeting throughout the entire SMA Annual Conference
- Sharing photos and video on all social media platforms.
Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for conference updates.