FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VANCOUVER, August 25, 2022 – Kids Brain Health Network is pleased to announce its 12th annual meeting is being held in conjunction with the DOHaD International Congress this year at the Vancouver Convention Centre from August 27 – August 31. The theme of this year’s congress is, “Social and Environmental Disruptions in DOHaD: Successful Interventions for a Healthy Future”. DOHaD stands for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease.
The conference will see researchers, health professionals, families, caregivers, trainees and a diverse set of partners congregate to discuss, reflect on and initiate thought-provoking interventions about developmental health across all sectors. Among many highlights the 5-day conference will include opportunities for early career investigators and trainees to network, learn and collaborate.
Most of all, the conference will encourage a strong emphasis on implementation science and involvement of stakeholders and community organizations. And it’s this focus on impact and implementation that aligns well with Kids Brain Health Network’s (KBHN) objectives. The opportunity to partner with the DOHaD Congress for this conference is particularly important to Kids Brain Health Network.
Nicola Lewis, Chief Executive Officer, Kids Brain Health Network said, “Our partnership with DOHaD symbolizes a strong alignment between our collective visions. KBHN shares many scientific and policy goals with DOHaD to ensure optimal care and better outcomes for all children and their families. The theme for the conference aligns perfectly with our organization’s mission to mobilize innovations into real world application. Given these common goals and interests, we feel the congress will offer real potential for creating new projects and partnerships.”
Kids Brain Health Network will be sponsoring two keynote lectures – this includes the Fraser Mustard lecture awardee, Dr Vikram Patel speaking on Acting Early: from Developmental Science to the Scalable Prevention of Mental Health Problems and Linda Richter of South Africa will address the topic of childhood adversity and pandemics. In addition to these, KBHN is also proud to bring three symposia with an incredible line-up of speakers; focusing on areas of specific interest in the field of neurodevelopmental research. Researchers across the field of neurodevelopmental disabilities will also have the chance to hear from leading DOHaD investigators, and consider new areas of inquiry and research collaborations.
DOHaD Congress Co-Chairs Janice Bailey and John Challis, OC said, “We are delighted to have Kids Brain Health Network onboard to bring this global conference to Vancouver. Some of the most celebrated and credible names in health sciences will be leading the sessions. Attendees will have a chance to listen to and learn from some of the many brilliant minds who are at the forefront of some of the latest advances in developmental origins of health and disease.”
The conference is an opportunity for subject matter experts from all over the world to share research in disciplines ranging from biology to pregnancy and parenting, from climate change to social inequalities. There will be poster sessions, stories from diverse voices, including Indigenous and First Nations people, refugees and new immigrants, and of course, children and families living with neurodevelopmental disabilities. The gathering will be an avenue to share research and experiences from varied perspectives and, learn from one another about how to better integrate equity, accessibility and inclusiveness in our collective work.
As we recover from the global pandemic, we are also seeing pronounced impacts on developmental health; and this conference provides a platform for researchers and practitioners to bring some of their insights into the work of improving health outcomes for children and families everywhere in the world.
If you are keen to be a part of what promises to be an interesting week at the DOHaD Congress, there is also a free, open public panel on the theme of Pandemics & Trauma: Impacts on Childhood Development slated for Sunday, August 28 at 3pm. Register here to participate.
About Kids Brain Health Network (KBHN) – Vision: All children living with neurodevelopmental disabilities enjoy quality of life, inclusion in all aspects of society and reach their full potential. Mission: Through catalyzing collective action across sectors, KBHN ensures optimal care and better outcomes for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families. Established under the Network of Centres of Excellence program (NCE), KBHN supports transformative research, provides training opportunities for the next generation of researchers and practitioners, empowers communities with the right tools and information, and translates research findings in three focus areas:
- earlier identification of children at-risk for a neurodevelopmental disability;
- evidence-based interventions for these children; and
- enhanced support for families.
About DOHaD Canada – The Canadian DOHaD Society is a globally connected network focused on creating, communicating and translating the latest knowledge on early development to improve the health and well-being of Canadians today and into the future and promote the importance of maternal health and well-being on a global platform. www.dohad.ca
About DOHaD International – The International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) Society was created to advocate globally for a healthy start to life, by supporting initiatives, programs and policies that promote education and research into the early life origins of health and disease. www.dohadsoc.org
For further information, please contact: Prachi Jatania, Communications Manager Kids Brain Health Network Email – pjatania@kidsbrainhealth.ca
International DOHaD Society – email – dohadcomms@gmail.com