The National Scleroderma Foundation community shined bright during the 2026 National Scleroderma Conference and Baltimore, Maryland.
The conference celebrated the community’s Beacons of Hope and the sense of optimism about advances in scleroderma research.
“It truly feels different this year,” Mary Wheatley, CEO of the National Scleroderma Foundation, said during the conference’s opening session. “I think we all can sense that our time has arrived and we are making huge progress in improving the lives of people affected by scleroderma.
The annual conference brings together hundreds of people living with scleroderma, their care partners, healthcare providers and researchers for a weekend of learning and community building.
“It was an incredible weekend of learning and celebration,” Dionna Bartos, director of education, said. “There is power in sharing a space with people who truly understand your journey.”
Select recordings will be made available in the coming weeks on the Foundation’s YouTube Channel.
During the closing keynote session, the community set its sights on the future. Dr. Kim Lakin and Dr. Jessica Gordon discussed the importance of the newly expanded AMP AIM project and what it means for the future of scleroderma research.
The conference closed with the announcement of the 2027 National Scleroderma Conference location, Cleveland, Ohio. The Lower Great Lakes Chapter will help host the conference July 16-18, 2027.
