Earlier this Spring, the Upper Great Lakes Chapter hosted its Spring Health Resource Conference in Milwaukee. The event featured a day of education, empowerment, and community building.
This year’s event reimagined the traditional health conference format. From the start, participants were invited to engage in a creative icebreaker activity facilitated by Cami Novachek. Each person painted a wooden butterfly – an emblem of scleroderma awareness. These butterflies were then added to the growing “Wisconsin Community Tree,” a powerful visual symbol of resilience and strength, reflecting the scleroderma community itself. Future events will continue the tradition, with more butterflies added to the tree.
The conference featured a keynote presentation from Dr. Mary Ellen Csuka, MD, FACP, a rheumatologist and scleroderma specialist from Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, and recipient of the 2024 National Scleroderma Foundation Doctor of the Year Award.
Following the keynote, attendees joined small-group breakout sessions designed to support both mind and body. Sessions included:
- Ask the Doctor with Dr. Mary Ellen Csuka
- Pelvic Floor Therapy for GI Health with Debbie Callif, OT, BCB-PMD, DN (Vita Fitness & Physical Therapy)
- Mental Wellness & Chronic Illness with Hilary Pick, LPC, CSAC (Hilary Pick Psychotherapy & Consultation)
- Therapeutic Yoga with Biz Casmer (Sunflower Yoga Therapy)
This intimate, multi-disciplinary format successfully fostered connection, learning, and support – core goals for the Upper Great Lakes Chapter. Plans are underway to replicate this model at other events, along with in-person meet-and-greets and social gatherings in collaboration with local healthcare providers.
With these efforts, the Wisconsin Steering Committee is continuing its mission to grow a vibrant, hopeful scleroderma community across the state.
Wisconsin Steering Committee Members
Cami Novachek
Amy Daniels
Brenda Fernholz
Krista Peterson
Jennifer Peterson