Hey !

This email is to make sure you haven't missed the news about this free event being hosted by The International Alliance of Academies of Childhood Disability (IAACD) this week.

What is the IAACD?

The IAACD is a global assembly of academies dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children, youth, and adults with childhood-onset disabilities worldwide. It was established by three founding academies:

1. European Academy of Childhood Disability (EACD)
2. American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM)
3. Australasian Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AusACPDM)

The aim of the IAACD is to achieve global representation by including member academies from all continents and geographical regions.

What's the free event?

This is an annual event that aims to include as many countries as possible. Each country gets an hour to dive deep into key topics related to childhood disability, bringing diverse perspectives, cultures, and experiences to the table.

This year's topic is:

Families: who cares for them?

I don't know about you, but this topic is one that grabs my attention. We can be the best therapists, with the best ideas, all the evidence based knowledge at our fingertips, but the truth is - unless we meet the needs of the families in their entirety, we've really done nothing worthwhile at all.

In our New Zealand hour, I'm jumping into this topic with three other amazing women,

• Amy Hogan: A disability advocate, academic, and adult with lived experience
• Stacey Irving and Lisa Hill: Two amazingly wise parents who have navigated this journey with their own children who had complex medical needs.

Together we will be reflecting on what really matters to families when they look back at their journey with their children through childhood - what was helpful, and maybe not so helpful in meeting their own and their health team's expectations.

How Can You Join In?

This is a free event to attend and is running for 24 hours across all time zones.

To see other countries talks and times click here >> https://iaacd.net/kh-home/listening-and-sharing-sessions/ to find the schedule and Zoom links to join all sessions.

New Zealand Talk Details:

Reflections on Life, Loss and Therapy Responsibilities

Friday November 29th at 7:30pm (New Zealand)

ZOOM LINK: https://bit.ly/IAACD-NZ   

• Meeting ID: 836 7601 6311
• Passcode: 505656

It's going to be a fantastic opportunity to learn, chat, share experiences, and support this awesome global initiative to put a spotlight on families of children with disabilities.

I hope to see you there!

Mindy