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MONTREAL, Sept. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — From September 28 to October 1, the Shriners Hospitals for Children – Canada will host the 4^th International Symposium on Arthrogryposis. Organized in collaboration with the other Montreal pediatric centers – CHU Sainte-Justine, Centre de réadaptation Marie Enfant and Montreal Children’s Hospital – the symposium will take place at the Hôtel Omni Mont-Royal, 1050 Sherbrooke Street West. Pre-conference workshops will be held on Saturday, September 28 at the Shriners Hospitals for Children – Canada.

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Arthrogryposis is a group of rare diseases that occur in around 1 in 3,000 children. Arthrogryposis manifests itself as joint stiffness, present from birth and affecting all four limbs to varying degrees. It may be accompanied by other signs: skeletal, visceral or neurological. People with arthrogryposis live with a limited range of movement, often restricting their participation in daily activities. Arthrogryposis is one of a wide range of so-called fetal immobility syndromes, encompassing a multitude of neurological and muscular abnormalities whose inventory is not yet complete.

Over the course of four days, experts from around the world will discuss ways of approaching and treating this pathology, as well as the latest research projects in progress. For Dr. Reggie Hamdy and Dr. Noémi Dahan-Oliel, co-chairs of the scientific and organizing committees, the need for this 4^th international symposium is clear.

Noémi Dahan-Oliel, clinical researcher and associate professor at McGill University, explains: “By promoting knowledge sharing and networking among an international community of experts and people living with this condition, we are on the lookout for scientific advances and discoveries that will enable optimal evidence-based care. One of our Quebec stars, Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli, www.lucapatuelli.com, a member of the organizing committee for this 4^th edition of the international symposium, will perform a dance show on Sunday, September 29 at the Omni Hotel’s Salle Pierre de Coubertin during the cocktail reception at 5:45 pm. Luca embodies the “can-do attitude” of people living with a rare disease. He is proof that support for patients and families, as called for by Quebec’s policy on rare diseases, is not only an inescapable necessity, but also a source of wealth.”

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“The Shriners Healthcare Network is at the forefront of clinical advancements, and its Genomics Institute seeks to better understand the genetic causes of rare diseases such as arthrogryposis. It’s by working together with clinicians, researchers and people living with arthrogryposis that we can learn, innovate and move forward to meet the needs of this community,” says Reggie Hamdy, MD, MSc (Ortho) FRCSC, orthopaedic surgeon and director of the Arthrogryposis Clinic at the Shriners in Montréal.

Several patients and families living with arthrogryposis will also be there speaking about the care they received and their life experiences.

To view the symposium program and find out more about the guest speakers: https://event.fourwaves.com/fr/amcinternationalsymposium/pages

The first international symposium on arthrogryposis was held in 2007 in Birmingham, UK, to discuss different aspects of care for people with arthrogryposis. These learnings set the tone for the second symposium, held in St Petersburg, Russia, in 2014. Clinical and research advances made in the field of arthrogryposis were shared at the 3^rd symposium in Philadelphia, USA, in 2018. The hospital, in collaboration with other Montreal pediatric facilities, is proud to welcome the 4^th International Arthrogryposis Symposium to Montreal!

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About Shriners Hospitals for Children – Canada

Established in Montreal in 1925, Shriners Hospital for Children ─ Canada is the only Canadian facility within the extensive Shriners Hospitals network. A bilingual hospital, it offers ultra-specialized acute orthopedic care to children from Canada, the United States and around the world. The hospital’s mission is to promote health and provide treatment and rehabilitation for infants, children and young adults with orthopedic and neuromuscular conditions such as scoliosis, osteogenesis imperfecta, clubfoot, hip dysplasia and cerebral palsy.

The hospital is committed to excellence and innovation in clinical practice, research and education. Affiliated with McGill University, the hospital enables resident physicians and healthcare professionals to take advantage of its facilities on the Glen site to further their training and experience. In addition to offering a patient- and family-centered care environment, the hospital is present in communities across Canada through telemedicine, outreach clinics and satellite clinics.

Information:

Emmanuelle Rondeau
Communications
Shriners Hospitals for Children – Canada
Tel.: 514-282-6990; Cell.: 514-207-1057
erondeau@shrinenet.org

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c8da9cc6-cf80-49aa-8cd1-b0b94815f1f2

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