30th International Symposium on ALS/MND

The 30th International Symposium on ALS/MND was held in Perth, Australia December 2019. This Symposium is put on annually by the MND Association of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland and is a full week of meetings, presentations, and posters. This event attracted over 800 attendees, including scientists, clinicians, organization leaders, and people living with ALS and their caregivers from around the world. Justin Kwan, MD, and Sara Feldman, DPT, ATP, spent the week attending the many scientific and clinical sessions and meetings.

Calaneet Balas (ALS Association, USA), Chairman of the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations, opened the week of meetings on December 1, 2019, with the 27th Annual Alliance Meeting. The Alliance brings together ALS/MND organizations from around the globe, and ALS Hope Foundation has been a member of this international group since 2001. Dr. Sara Feldman completed her second term on the Board of Directors for the Alliance and stepped down this year. Andrea Blackman from the Les Turner Foundation in Chicago was elected to the Board to fill the opening, and we wish her all of the best. Dr. Feldman presented on the work of the PALS and CALS Advisory Council The program from the meeting can be found here.

The ALS/MND Connect (previously Ask the Experts) event is held on the second day of the meetings. This year’s panel included Professor Matthew Kiernan (Australia), Professor Ammar Al Chalabi (UK), Professor Merit Cudkowicz (USA), and was moderated by Professor Merrilee Needham (Australia). The event was live-streamed on social media, and the full video and PowerPoint slides are available via this link. 

The Patient Fellows Program began three years ago as a way to fund people living with ALS/MND to attend the Symposium and add their experiences to the discussion. View a few of their insights here.

The Allied Professionals Forum was held on December 3, 2019, this is a day-long session developed for Allied Health Professionals, and the ALS Hope Foundation has been a committed supporter for many years. Sara Feldman (ALSHF) is a co-chair along with Rachel Boothman (MNDA). The Program Agenda can be found here, and the presentations are on the Alliance website.

The 30th International Symposium on ALS/MND then took place on December 4-6, 2019. Sally Light (MNDA) opened the Symposium, and David Ali from MND Australia, this year’s hosts, welcomed everyone in attendance. It was three full days of presentations and posters. Please see the full program here. Sara Feldman presented two posters, “The Addition of Rotational and Adjustable Flexion Components to Cervical Support” and “Assessing Assistive Technology Use and Needs by Individuals with ALS/MND.” Dr. Feldman also co-chaired the session on Palliative Care with Dr. David Oliver (UK).

The International Symposium on ALS/MND is the largest medical and scientific conference specific to ALS/MND in the world. It brings together everyone, leading researchers, clinicians, PALS/CALS, and associations, who dream and believe that one day there will be a world without ALS/MND. We all leave invigorated with a renewed sense of purpose, inspired with new ideas, and driven with that ever-present urgency, for we know that for those living with ALS/MND, time is all too precious and short.