A few of us at JLR had the privilege of attending the ACRP 2014 Global Conference in San Antonio. We attended sessions on a variety of clinical research topics, visited the conference’s exhibit hall, networked, and went sightseeing. One of the highlights of the conference were the plenary sessions, which featured some very inspiring people.
Saturday’s session Ever Upwards! was presented by Alan Hobson, Mt. Everest summiteer and cancer survivor. After 2 attempts at reaching the top, he summited Mt. Everest on his third expedition. Three years later he was diagnosed with acute leukemia. Today he has made a 100% physical recovery and is a speaker, author, and coach. Read more about Alan and his programs and services at Climb Back!
Sunday’s session featured the documentary RARE: The Journey of a Clinical Trial. When Donna Appell’s daughter Ashley was a baby she was diagnosed with a very rare genetic disorder called Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome (HPS). People with this disorder suffer from albinism, blindness, and often a fatal pulmonary fibrosis. They usually only live into their 30’s or 40’s. There is no cure for HPS and the film follows a clinical trial for a possible cure. The film also shows Donna’s annual conference on HPS along with Ashley and others’ experiences with HPS. To learn more about Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome click here.
Next year’s conference will be held right here in Salt Lake City! Click here to learn more about next year’s conference.
