I just left from my UC/Crohn's support group at Rush and I found out about this Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America's Patient and Family Education Conference. Here is the info:

http://www.ccfa.org/chapters/illinois/

http://www.imedex.com/appweb/a...ncements/a093-02.asp

I was told 1000 people showed up last yer. A great way to meet other people w/ UC/Crohn's. Also, there are plenty of medical panels going on. I see a few of my Docs presenting! Here's the info, and please go to the link for more info! April 4th in Rosemont.

This is the Patient and Family Conference:

Welcome and Introduction
8:40am - 9:00 am
Russell D. Cohen, MD, FACG, AGAF
University of Chicago Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois

Marianne Floriano
Executive Director
Illinois Carol Fisher Chapter of the CCFA



Session IA: Panel Discussion
Moderator: Eugene Yen, MD
9:00 am
Complimentary and alternative medicine. The role of a healthy diet, lifestyle and alternative therapy in the management of IBD

Ali Keshavarzian, MD
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois

Tracie Dalessandro, MS, RD, CDN
Briarcliff Manor, New York

10:00 am
Break



Session IB: Panel Discussion
Moderator: Tarun Mullick, MD
9:00 am
Managing your IBD: What else do I need to know?
A discussion on vaccinations, cancer screening, and how to make the most of the care from your doctor

Gil Y. Melmed, MD
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, California

Laura Bianchi, MD
Northshore University
HealthSystem Medical Group
Glenview, Illinois

Tarun Mullick, MD
Gastrointestinal Health Specialists
St. Charles and Wheaton, Illinois

10:00 am Break



Session IIA: Taking Control of IBD
10:30 am
How to manage your fear and stress through better understanding of the disease process

Laurie Keefer, PhD
Northwestern Faculty Foundation
Chicago, Illinois

Joshua F. Knox, PA
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

11:30 am
Lunch



Session IIB: Panel Discussion
Moderator: Tarun Mullick, MD
10:30 am
Update on Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease:
New medications, new targets to combat inflammation

Stephen Hanauer, MD
University of Chicago Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois

David Sales, MD
Northwest Gastroenterologists
Arlington Heights, Illinois

11:30 am
Lunch



Session IIIA: Great Debates I
Moderator: Tarun Mullick, MD
12:15 pm
Great Debates I: Outcomes in therapy – what’s next for non-responders and can responders ever stop their meds?

Sunanda V. Kane, MD, MSPH
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minnesota

Vivek Chaudhry, MD
Provident Hospital
Chicago, Illinois

Marc Schwartz, MD
University of Chicago Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois

1:00 pm
Break



Session IIIB: The Law and your IBD
12:15 pm
Know your rights: An overview of disabilities law including insurance, employment, Social Security, and school

Jennifer C. Jaff, Esq.
Advocay for Patients with Chronic Illness, Inc.
Farmington, Connecticut

1:00 pm
Break



Session IIIC: Female Issues in IBD
12:15 pm
A discussion on sexuality, fertility, and pregnancy

Laura Yun, MD
University of Chicago Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois

Andelka LoSavio, MD
Loyola University Hospital
Maywood, Illinois

1:00 pm
Break


Session IVA: Great Debates II
Moderator: Eugene Yen, MD
1:15 pm
Great Debates II: The safety of medications - are the new medications better and worth the risk?

Shane M. Devlin, MD, FRCPC
University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Alan Buchman, MD
Northwestern University
School of Medicine
Chicago, Illinois

2:00 pm
Adjourn


Session IVB: Life after Surgery
1:15 pm
Your answers to surgery, ostomy issues, and living with IBD

Sarah Lundeen, MSN, ACNP-BC, APNP
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Mary Otterson, MD, MS
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

2:00 pm
Adjourn



Session IVC: Panel Discussion
Moderator: Tarun Mullick, MD
1:15 pm
Everything but the IBD: Problems outside the gut and non-IBD processes that may contribute to your symptoms

Sutha Sachar, MD
Gastrointestinal Health Specialists
Geneva, Illinois

Garth R. Swanson, MD
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois

2:00 pm
Adjourn

Parents’ Session
9:15 am
Psychological aspects of IBD

Sharon Hirsch, MD
The University of Chicago Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois

10:00 am
Insurance issues and school advocacy

Jennifer C. Jaff, Esq.
Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness, Inc.
Farmington, Connecticut

11:00 am
Break

11:15 am
Nutrition and IBD: The basics

Sally Ritz, RD
Children’s Memorial Hospital
Chicago, Illinois

12:00 pm
Lunch

12:45 pm
Genetics: What have we discovered?

Marla C. Dubinsky, MD
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, California

1:30 pm
Puberty, sexual development, and IBD

Ranjana Gokhale, MD
University of Chicago Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois

2:15 pm
Extraintestinal manifestations of IBD

Jennifer Strople, MD, MS
Children’s Memorial Hospital
Chicago, Illinois

3:00 pm
Adjourn

Teens’ Session
9:15 am
Dealing with my emotions

Paul Kredow, PsyD
Center for Psychological Services, LLC
Northfield, Illinois

10:00 am
Navigating a social life with IBD

Stephanie Reuter CCFA
Camp Counselor

11:00 am
Break

11:15 am
There is no “I” in team: Teambuilding exercises

Cameron Sullivan
Softball Coach

12:00 pm
Lunch

12:45 pm
Top Chef, CCFA style: Nutrition and cooking class

Sally Ritz, RD
Children’s Memorial Hospital
Chicago, Illinois

1:30 pm
School strategies: How to stay on top of your studies
Speaker invited


2:15 pm
Let’s sing, dance and be merry: Just like at camp

Martin Hertz
CCFA Young Professionals Group

Sean Rumrill
CCFA Camp Counselor

3:00 pm
Adjourn
Children’s Session
9:15 am
Art expression

Alyssa Kulak
Brickton Art Center

10:00 am
Dealing with my emotions

Paul Kredow, PsyD
Center for Psychological Services, LLC
Northfield, Illinois

11:00 am
Break

11:15 am
Exercise for life: Children’s yoga

Mira Binzen, E-RYT
Global Family Yoga
Chicago, Illinois

12:00 pm
Lunch

12:45 pm
Building from the ground up: Legoland

Jessica Applebaum, CCLS
Children’s Memorial Hospital
Chicago, Illinois

1:30 pm
Music for the soul: Music therapy

Mary Wuestenfeld
Plainfield Elementary School
Des Plaines, Illinois

2:15 pm
Let’s sing, dance and be merry: Just like at camp

Martin Hertz
CCFA Young Professionals Group

Sean Rumrill
CCFA Camp Counselor

3:00 pm
Adjourn

There's also a Parent and Kids Workshop. The links have the schedule for that in it's entirety.

I am excited about this. Anyone in? Maybe we can all meet up.

Thanks for posting about this. It is a great seminar series. I wanted to go last year, but I was too sick to travel. It's funny, the doctor who ended up being my surgeon gave the lecture last year about surgical procedures. I had signed up for it, but didn't make it. I was surprised when he ended up doing my surgery! He and his nurse and on the organizing committee this year.

Take Care!
Susan

Hi,

Wow these seminars sound great. I was wondering if they had anything closer to Oklahoma or if you knew of a support group in Oklahoma. I would really be interested in finding one.

Fixing to have a reversal back to the permanent ostomy and will be off work for that so probably would not be able to take off for travel to Chicago area but would love to find some people and classes closer to home.

Thanks,
Janita

Hi, Janita. I know that they have these seminar series in many different cities. You can contact the Crohn's and Colitis foundation and find out when/where they will have one near you. They would be the best source for this info.

Good luck with your upcoming surgery. I hope that it gives you the relief that you desperately need. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

Take Care
Susan

FYI, Registration deadline is March 30th.


Anyone thinking of going?

The seminar is this Saturday. Anyone going?

I am unsure still if I am, but I registered just in case.