​CMV Public Health & Policy Conference Roundup - Part Two

​CMV Public Health & Policy Conference Roundup - Part Two

Last week saw the conclusion of the 2nd CMV Public Health & Policy Conference in Austin, Texas. This conference’s goals were focused around presenting the latest in CMV prevention, diagnostic, and treatment research, while providing information to attendees about early intervention options and other family and professional support resources. As always, organizers sought to engage professionals and parents in the effort to reduce the number of babies born with congenital CMV through public awareness and advocacy efforts nationwide. We asked a few speakers and attendees how their experience was during the conference and what they learned from this year’s presentations. 

National CMV was fortunate not only to sponsor this impactful conference, but was also able to exhibit and present our mission, vision, and approach towards improved CMV education and awareness. 

“The 2016 CMV Public Health & Policy Conference was a tremendous success! There was great participation and contribution from parents, advocates, clinicians, researchers and industry alike. Together, we continue to shine light on congenital CMV as an established public health issue that requires ongoing, integrated collaboration to more successfully raise awareness and drive change for the next generation. National CMV is more motivated than ever!”
Kristen Spytek
President/Co-founder
National CMV Foundation

 “The culture of collaboration at the CMV 2016 conference was phenomenal. Parents, providers, researchers, and clinicians came open to others’ perspectives and ready to work with one another to prevent future children from being born with CMV and to provide the best lives possible for those already affected. I left the conference with reinvigorated passion and compassion.”
Alyson Ward
Senior Researcher/Quality Improvement Advisor
Utah State University

Compassion is one of the greatest byproducts of this conference series, as it seeks to bring together practitioners, professionals, and parents to spark discussions, activity, and momentum at the grassroots level. Many parents were able to bring their children born with congenital CMV to the conference and were able to share their stories, including their successes and challenges. 

“It is overwhelming as a parent to engage with leading physician advocates and researchers of congenital CMV: people who care about our kids, and about changing the landscape of CMV awareness. When I told this to Suresh Boppana, he corrected me and said that no, it is overwhelming for the physicians to get the chance to engage with parents in these conversations. The CMV group is a very special one.”
Kathleen Muldoon
Associate Professor of Anatomy
Midwestern University, Arizona

“I enjoyed the conference immensely.  What I really liked about the conference was the chance to see and interact with the parents and families again.  As always, I get energized by seeing the remarkable families and children and inspired by their spirit, resilience, and courage. This reinforces my motivation to keep working harder than ever to find solutions together with others in research and advocacy.”
Dr. Suresh Boppana
Professor of Pediatrics and Microbiology 
University of Alabama Birmingham

Indeed, the CMV community is very special and we, at National CMV, are grateful to all of the many organizers, sponsors, and exhibitors of the 2016 CMV Public Health & Policy Conference. See you in 2018!