juvenile arthritis conference travel awards

JA Conference Travel Award Applications Are Now Open!

Travel Award applications (formerly scholarships) for the 2018 National Juvenile Arthritis Conference are now being accepted! Interested families and young adults (ages 18-25) are welcome to apply for a travel award that will assist in the cost of traveling to or attending this year’s conference in Seattle, Washington or Washington, D.C. Applications must be submitted by February 26, 2018 to be considered, and all applicants will be notified by March 30, 2018.

“The JA Conference is a unique opportunity for families to meet other families who are on a similar journey. Having the opportunity to learn about the latest treatments, tips for every day challenges and most importantly – meeting others that have gone through much of the same is invaluable,” says Kate Kuhns, the 2018 JA Conference Chair. “Seeing your kids meet other kids with JA, siblings and other siblings and meeting other parents is so comforting. We all learn that we’re not alone.”

If you and your family have never attended the JA Conference, this is a great opportunity to help get you there! For parents and caregivers, the long weekend is filled with informative sessions, parent/caregiver networking, breakout sessions hosted by leading health care experts and the opportunity to meet and socialize with others from across the country.

Kids, teens and siblings all take part in their own educational tracks, activities and fun with new friends who each have an understanding of similar challenges and victories over everyday obstacles. Young adults have their own schedule of informational sessions, speakers, activities and networking opportunities throughout the long weekend.

Travel Awards will be granted in three different levels in 2018:

  • Level 1: Registration (up to 4 people) or Single Registration
  • Level 2: Registration (up to 4 people) and lodging
  • Level 3: Registration, 3 nights lodging (1 room) and transportation (airline and mileage only) (up to 4 people)

Travel Awards only cover partial expenses. They do not cover the cost of additional meals, transportation to/from airport, airline baggage fees, parking fees or room upgrades.

In applying for a Travel Award, you will be required to select the location you plan on attending, tell us a bit about your family and your current involvement with the Arthritis Foundation. Please give yourself ample time to complete the form. Additional details and hotel information can be found on the 2018 JA Conference site. Applications are anonymously reviewed and scored by a committee of Arthritis Foundation staff and volunteers across the country, and no member of the scoring committee may apply for an award.

“I am so excited for this year’s conference and am looking forward to meeting new families and reconnecting with friends this summer,” says Kate. “The conference is like ‘coming home’ to our JA family – something that fuels us as we continue on our JA journey.”

The 2018 JA Conference will take place in Seattle, Washington June 28-July 1 at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue on Seattle’s Eastside, and Washington, D.C. August 2 – 5 at the Grand Hyatt Washington. For the latest news and updates, be sure check the JA Conference website and follow along on our Facebook page!

If you have additional questions about JA Conference Travel Awards, please contact Katie Bitner at kbitner@arthritis.org or 404-965-7538.

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One thought on “JA Conference Travel Award Applications Are Now Open!

  1. Newly diagnosed and we have never been to a JA Conference and we are pretty excited to meet other kids with the same journey!

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