Content meets connection at the 2026 Patient Education Conference
by Fred Wish / Guest Contributor
Hosted by Dr. Kyle Amber of Rush University, the IPPF 2026 Patient Education Conference took place from August 28-31 at voco Chicago Downtown-Riverwalk by IHG. This year’s program touched on a range of topics nearly as diverse as the audience, from David and Vanessa Baron’s account of achieving balance in their caregiving partnership to Dr. Brittney Schultz’s detailed description of pemphigus and pemphigoid (P/P) causes and symptoms to Micaela Wofford’s and Kelly Dugan’s discussion of the potential – and often actual – difficulties of dealing with insurance and pharmacy matters. Each topic provided practical, real-life guidance on the unique issues P/P patients and their supporters encounter every day. In-person and online participants were able to ask questions and get information from many top professionals in P/P treatment and research.
Small group breakout sessions gave caregivers and patients in several different categories an opportunity to engage in open and honest discussions with each other and to share tips and advice with those whose areas of concern matched theirs. This addition to the agenda was a direct result of feedback from past conference attendees, which also helped IPPF develop bullet points and prompts for ice-breakers in the discussions.
The conference brought together a diverse group of nearly 300 attendees: patients, caregivers, and providers, first-timers and veterans of past gatherings, those in remission or navigating the challenges of active disease, and people physically present or taking part online.
Attendees who may have had limited access to providers with direct experience in diagnosing and treating their specific disease were able to hear from knowledgeable professionals who took the time to share their research and insights and give attendees a chance to learn from their expertise. Through lively Q&A sessions and face-to-face contact during breaks and receptions, patients and caregivers were able to share their experiences and find common ground.
Many patients, especially among the newly-diagnosed, had never met anybody with their specific disease before. The conference provided an informal setting for them to create and renew personal relationships, and in some cases, forge lasting connections. In a real sense, those opportunities to become a part of the P/P community are nearly as critical as the technical information and access to resources that IPPF provides.
Altogether, the IPPF patient education conferences are crucial to the organization’s goal of providing “…patients and their caregivers much needed comfort and support so they can continue to live active, productive lives.”
IPPF would like to congratulate this year’s award winners, including Dr. Kyle Amber (Doctor of the Year), Dr. Brittney Schultz (Founder’s Award), Dr. Marney White (Rudy Soto Star Award), Sonia Tramel (Distinguished Service Award), Dr. Animesh Sinha and Dr. Kristina Seiffert-Sinha (Advancing Research Award), Fred Wish, Paulette Heath, and Betty Tudisco (Volunteer of the Year Award), and Dr. Mary Tomayko and Dr. Donna Culton (Patient Services Award).
The Foundation would also like to thank our generous sponsors for their support.
Gold level: KabaFusion, Sanofi + Regeneron
Bronze level: CarePartners, Nufactor, Specialty Care RX
Event sponsors: Cabaletta Bio, CSI Pharmacy, GlycoEra, InfuCare RX, Rush University, Paragon Healthcare, and Soleo Health.
IPPF is looking forward to building on the success of this year’s conference when it holds the 2027 Patient Education Conference in Denver, Colorado on August 13-15, 2027. Hope to see you there!
For those of you who were unable to attend or wish to review any of the recorded sessions, please visit here.