WHAT:
'A Healthy You and 22Q' Conference Comes to Columbus
‘22Q Mystery Bus’ to make a stop at the conference
WHEN:
Saturday, September 22, 2012, 8am to 4:30pm
WHERE:
Nationwide Children’s Hospital Education Center
700 Children’s Drive, Columbus
WHO/WHY:
This conference is designed to educate parents, caregivers and patients with 22q. 22q deletion syndrome – also known as velocardiofacial or DiGeorge Syndrome – is a genetic disorder that affects one out of every 4,000 live births. This chromosomal abnormality can cause a wide range of health and developmental issues, including heart defects, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, immune and endocrine systems, differences in the palate, speech and language abnormalities, slow growth, and autism and/or developmental delays or learning disabilities.
The conference is made possible through a grant from the Ryan and Jenny Dempster Family Foundation. Ryan Dempster, a pitcher for American League Baseball’s Texas Rangers, and his wife, Jenny, have three children, one of whom -- three-year-old Riley -- was diagnosed with 22q at birth. The Dempster Family Foundation strives to lend support to charities and organizations supporting children with 22q and their families. The Foundation empowers organizations to help children with this disorder overcome difficult situations through: providing funding to continue research for early detection of this disorder in children; supporting programs about 22q that provide education, physical therapy and activity to promote long-term well-being; creating initiatives that build and instill confidence in these children; and developing a 22q network for families affected by this disorder to share stories and help navigate healthcare options and treatment. Additional information about the Foundation is available at www.dempsterfoundation.org.
The 22q Mystery Bus Tour helps drive awareness of 22q Deletion Syndrome. All across the U.S. the cheerful mobile awareness bus motivates people to ask “What is 22q?” and offers the opportunity to educate the curious and encourage them to “get on the bus” by tweeting a picture of the bus or shooting a quick “I’m on the bus for kids with 22q video” which is immediately uploaded to the Foundation’s YouTube channel and social media pages.
The 22q Deletion Syndrome Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital provides children and their families with access to a multidisciplinary team of expert clinicians that provide comprehensive individualized diagnostic and management services in Genetics, Cardiology, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Speech and Language Pathology, Developmental Pediatrics, Immunology, Neuropsychology, Behavioral Health, Audiology, Otolaryngology, Endocrinology, Hematology, Neurology Orthopedics and Gastroenterology. Speech Scientist Adriane Baylis, PhD Clinical Geneticist Joan Atkin, MD, and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Chief Richard Kirschner, MD, are co-directors of the 22q Center at Nationwide Children’s. For more information about the 22q Deletion Syndrome Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, visit NationwideChildrens.org/22q-deletion-syndrome-center, or visit the center’s Facebook page at facebook.com/22qcenter.
For more information about the day’s activities, visit NationwideChildrens.org/22q-Conference.
Contacts:
Media Relations at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, (614) 355-0495
Michelle Breedlove-Sells, Dempster Family Foundation, (405) 269-9731
Contacts day-of event:
Marcie Rehmar, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, (614) 270-3677
Christy Stocker, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, (614) 327-1664