Each year the PWSAI holds at least two events.
These are a one-day conference and a more family-orientated meeting
This year we are holding our conference in Spring rather than Autumn.
Date: 23 April to 24 April 2010
Time: 10.00am to 4.00pm
Venue: The Red Cow Hotel, Naas Road, Clondalkin, Dublin.
Theme: This year’s theme is “Education”. It is hoped to invite a representative from all education providers as detailed by you in the information forms completed at last year’s conference.
This year we are holding our conference in Spring rather than Autumn.
Date: 28 March 2009
Time: 10.00am to 6.00pm
Venue: The Clarion Hotel, Liffey Valley, County Dublin.
Theme: The conference will address the future of the PWSAI and the urgent changes that are needed in order for the association to develop successfully.
The annual conferences have had varying themes down through the years and have taken place in different hotel venues. They have featured expert speakers from the different disciplines associated with the care of PWS sufferers such as medical professionals, dieticians, psychologists, social workers, special needs assistants and carers. Many of these experts have been invited over from the UK organisation to address the conference. During the conference day, time is always provided for a question and answer session and facilitated workshops are often organised for the afternoon, which allow for very meaningful and supportive dialogue between participants.
The October 2006 conference
In 2006 the PWSAI held its most major event to date – a conference / information day primarily aimed at care professionals in the Four Seasons Hotel, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. Organised by the National Children’s Hospital, Tallaght, the PWSAI (Prader Willi Syndrome Association Ireland) and RehabCare, it was supported with an educational grant from Pfizer Endocrine Care. The event was a great success both in attendance and in the associated media coverage, which helped to raise the profile of PWS and the PWSAI not only amongst care professionals but also the general public. We hope to hold events of a similar magnitude in the future.
These more informal occasions are often held at the opposite end of the year to the conference and allow PWS sufferers, their families, carers and others to network, build relationships and share knowledge with each other as well as celebrate the many positive things about people with PWS.
As there are people affected by PWS living across the length and breadth of Ireland, the association tries to vary the location of its events. Accordingly, events have been held in hotels in the south, east and west of the country as well as in the central location of Athlone. Subject to available funds, the association also likes to subsidise the cost of overnight accommodation for those who wish to avail of the accommodation.
