We’re more than halfway past the year and BDC 2022 is just around the corner! NHF’s 74th Annual Bleeding Disorders Conference (BDC) will take place from August 25 to 27, 2022, in Houston, Texas. We’re very excited to be back in person but understand that not everyone will be able to join us this year in person. But the good news is that there will also be a virtual component to this conference. Nearly 30 sessions across the Consumer, Teen, and Chapter tracks will be live-streamed and will be available for on-demand viewing immediately after the live broadcast. To access our live-streamed sessions and to watch them on-demand at a later date, you will have to register for the conference.
This year’s Women with Bleeding Disorders (WWBD) track consists of three in-person sessions and one hybrid session. The first session is titled “Keep the Discussion Flowing: Engaging Men in the Conversation on Periods.” This session will be led by a panel of proactive men who will share their stories about how they encourage open conversations on menstruation and do their part to make sure "period" is not a taboo word in their households. “Why Get Tested: More Than Just a Family of Heavy Bleeders” is a session on the importance of seeking out a diagnosis and getting tested for a bleeding disorder. You will hear from a hematologist, a genetic counselor and a patient representative on why heavy period bleeding doesn’t have to be your norm.
Our hybrid session with a virtual component is titled “Coexisting Women's Health Conditions”. In this session, we'll hear from an OB/GYN on how having an overlapping medical condition in addition to your bleeding disorder, such as endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), may affect the symptoms you experience. The session will also provide information on how to manage these conditions for an overall better quality of life. Towards the end of the three-day conference, we will have our final women’s session, titled “Change the Cycle: The Future of Menstrual Health”. I’m particularly excited for this session as we’ll get an opportunity to discuss the period movement, a movement that focuses its attention on calling for an end to period stigma and increasing access to menstrual hygiene products for all. In this session, we'll learn more about how you can help further the movement in your own local community and positively impact future generations of girls, women, and people who menstruate.
In addition to our women’s track, we have an excellent array of sessions across our consumer, provider, and chapter tracks that I highly recommend checking out. To learn more about BDC 2022 and get registered: https://events.hemophilia.org/website/33832/home/
Whether you plan on joining us in Houston or virtually, I’m looking forward to seeing you all!
