Join us in celebrating the 26th Annual 2019 Chromosome 18 Decoded!
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Dates: Monday, July 22nd to Wednesday, July 24th
Hotel: Colorado Springs Marriott
Check-In: Afternoon of Sunday, July 21st
Below are all the details we currently have available.
There will be NO on-site registration this year. Stipend closing June 19, 2019 – Registration after June 19 will be subject to space availability. We cannot guarantee registration spaces after June 19. –Registration CLOSED
Events Registration available until July 15, 2019.
Have questions? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions!
Helpful Links
- General Information
- Schedule
- Hotel Map
- Sponsorship Application
- Speaker & Presentation Information
- Registration Forms
- Registration
- Silent Auction Donations
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Events Registration
- Hotel Information
- Starfish Dinner & Dance
- VIP Table Sponsorship
- Chromosome 18 Clinical Research Center Information
- Conference Frequently Asked Questions
- Childcare Information
- Event Sponsorship
- Last Year’s Conference Review
- Past Conference Locations
New name – nothing’s changed! We are celebrating the 26th Anniversary of the Chromosome 18 Annual Conference this year under the new name Chromosome 18 Decoded. The 2018 Chromosome 18 Decoded will be held at the Colorado Springs Marriott from Monday, July 22nd through Wednesday, July 24th in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Colorado Springs is centrally located in Colorado and is easily accessible by all methods of travel. Come and join us in what is sure to be a great conference where you’ll get to see some old friends and meet many new friends. If this is your first time, we strongly encourage you to come with the whole family as we have lots of different programs and fun events for everybody.
Over the course of the three days many different speakers and events are available including four tracks of presentations for: the families of young children, the families of adolescents/young adults, siblings and self-advocates. The sibling track is planned and run by our adult siblings trained in child development and facilitation. The self-advocate track is for those affected individuals over the age of 16 who can function independently within the conference environment. There will be breakout discussion sessions for each syndrome group as well as for regional groups.
The conference culminates on Wednesday evening with the Starfish Dinner and Dance and can guarantee that you will have so much fun, making it hard to say goodnight and goodbye to your Chromosome 18 family. The Starfish Dinner & Dance is open to all (registered conference attendees, family, friends, community partners and sponsors). Tickets for unreserved seating are included in the conference registration. All others may purchase tickets once registration opens. This is a perfect opportunity for anyone who is not attending the conference to be part of our special event.
Registration for Men’s Night, Ladies’ Night, Self-Advocate Outings, and Sibling Outings will be separate this year. There will be NO on-site registration for activities.
We are excited that this year’s conference will have a wide range of speakers and topics. There is definitely something for everyone! Our schedule is not final and is subject to change. Please check back for schedule information.
Registration Forms:
Topics and Speakers
Facing Your Fears – Audrey Blakeley, Ph.D.
A Powerful You! – Gretchen Kadillak
Chromosome 18 Sponsorship Application – Now Closed
Chromosome 18 is excited to announce the Chromosome 18 Decoded Sponsorship! This award enables a Chromosome 18 member family who may not have the financial support to attend the conference the opportunity to attend. Chromosome 18 Registry & Research Society will select ONE family who has never attended the conference to receive the sponsorship (Maximum of 5 people). Application information and details can be found below!
Applications closed on March 17. Winner will be announced on April 1. For full details and requirements, please click here .
Have questions? Contact office@chromosome18.org or call (210) 657-4968.
Rare Bear Program
**Sign-Up by June 20**Calling all families attending this year’s conference! We are excited to partner with the RARE Bear Program to provide hand-made, custom teddy bears to chromosome 18 affected children. These bears are hand-made by volunteers and will be gifted to chromosome 18 affected children free of charge at this year’s conference. However, RARE Bears must be requested in advance. The deadline to request a RARE Bear for your chromosome 18 affected child is June 20, 2019. There is a limit of one bear per self-advocate. Unfortunately, you must be attending the conference to request a RARE Bear for your child. As this is the first year we have participated in this program, we are unable to offer RARE Bears to children and families not attending the conference at this time. If you are not attending the conference, please do NOT request a bear. For questions, please contact office@chromosome18.org.
Self-Advocates up to age 19 are welcome to sign-up for a bear. If you are a self-advocate with a developmental delay and you are older than 19, you may also request a bear. You will just need to note that you have a developmental delay in your request.
(Sign up via link below)
2019 Conference Committee
Conference Chair – Angie & Robert Moss, conference@chromosome18.org
Registration is now open!
This year there will be one registration price for all participants and you have the option to choose a stipend from Chromosome 18 or purchase a ticket at regular price. Stipends are generated from funds raised throughout the year and distributed to help offset the price of conference fees. Upon registering, you will notice the regular participant conference fees is $325 and you can choose to use the $125 stipend, bringing the conference fee to $200 per participant. For those participants needing supervised care (baby, child, and teen childcare by childcare professionals) you will also find two registration options. You can choose to register these participants with the stipend of $300, reducing your cost to $250 or at the full conference price with childcare fees at $550. Everyone must pre-register online. There will be no on-site registration.
There will be NO on-site registration this year. Stipend closing June 19, 2019 – Registration after June 19 will be subject to space availability. We cannot guarantee registration spaces after June 19.
Everyone attending, even children, need to register. People who do not need to register might be, for example, grandparents or others who are coming for the purpose of babysitting your child. They do not need to register if they will NOT:
- Attend any sessions (for parents, siblings, or self-advocates)
- Eat conference planned group meals
- Attend any evening sessions – such as Ladies’ Night, Men’s Night, etc.
They may attend the Starfish Dinner & Dance if they pay for their own seat ($100 each) or as the guest of someone who purchases a Starfish Dinner & Dance Table.
Payment Plan sign up is now closed! We will open it up soon for the 2020 Annual Conference!
Register now!
Silent Auction Donations Section 4
Volunteer Sign-Up
Events Section 6
Events Registration closes on July 15, 2019.
Watch a short video on Events Registration here! This will walk you through the whole process and help avoid any confusion:
Join Chromosome 18 in Colorado Springs, CO for an incredible series of evenings out! We have planned fun-filled evenings within a spectacular view of the Rocky Mountains for you to enjoy after the day’s sessions. Take in the sights and spend time relaxing while enjoying the company of other conference attendees!
Sign-up for 2019 Chromosome 18 26th Annual Conference Events today! Events Registration is separate from Conference Registration this year. Event details are subject to change.
All event registration must be completed online, prior to the conference. There will be NO on-site events registration this year.
*When registering a person for more than one event (ex: Ladies’ Night & Zoo Outing), you will need to add them to the registration AGAIN using the “ADD” button. You will NOT be able to select both registrations under the same initial registration. You will need to “ADD” them a second time.*
2019 Events:
Men’s Night (Monday, July 22)
Siblings’ Night (Monday, July 22)
Family Zoo Outing (Tuesday, July 23)
Ladies’ Night (Tuesday, July 23)
Self-Advocates Night (Tuesday, July 23)
Event Sign-Up
Hotel Section 7
Book your room with the Chromosome 18 Discounted Rate NOW!
Call 719-268-4218 and speak to Isabella or Book Online here
The conference will be held at the Colorado Springs Marriottand rooms are NOW available at a discounted rate of $159 per night (excluding tax). More information on hotel accommodations coming soon! The discounted rate will be available until mid-June 2019, subject to availability, so please book your room in advance.
Book your room with the Chromosome 18 Discounted Rate online now by clicking here. You can also call 719-268-4218 to make your reservation by speaking to Isabella. You can also email Isabella directly at iaragon@marriottcoloardosprings.com with questions about your room reservations.Please be sure to mention that you are with The Chromosome 18 Conference in order to receive the discount.Families often comment that staying in the same hotel as the conference, and with the other families, is critical for the full “Conference Experience”. Please reserve your accommodations early. Once the Chromosome 18’s block of rooms are fully booked, our members are not guaranteed a room in this hotel. Your reservation is your responsibility. First come, first served!
Parking is free at the Colorado Springs Marriott.
Are you planning to extend your stay in Colorado Springs before or after the conference? Check out this list of area activities.
Starfish Dinner & Dance Section 8
Everybody will be enjoying a wonderful night to include a three-course meal, awards presentation and silent and live auctions and lots of dancing as the culmination of a fantastic few days as the annual conference draws to a close at our Starfish Dinner & Dancethat will take place on the evening of Wednesday, July 24th.
The Starfish Dinner & Dance is open to all (registered conference attendees, family, friends, community partners and sponsors). Tickets for unreserved seating are included in the conference registration. All others may purchase tickets once registration opens. This is a perfect opportunity for anyone who is not attending the conference to be part of our special event.
Purchase Tickets for Starfish Dinner & Dance for non-conference attendees now!
VIP Reserved Table Fundraiser
Raise at least $1,500 and you’ll be able to pick your choice of table (that seats 10) in the Ballroom for the Starfish Dinner & Dance and choose how you would like to be recognized by selecting your table name along with reserved seating. This sponsorship allows you to have up to 9 guests join you for the evening at no additional cost. These could be guests who are not attending the conference and who would like to attend the Starfish Dinner & Dance; they would not need to pay the ticket fee of $100 per person. You can also invite families from the conference to join you at your table!
Want to be right in the front, up close and in the center of the action? Prefer to be at the back to take it all in? You decide…..
Learn more about our VIP Reserved Table Fundraiser!
Important Information from the Chromosome 18 Clinical Research Center Section 9
Syndrome Specific Findings
The syndrome specific findings will not be available or formally discussed at this year’s conference. Families are asked to print the information from the PDF files and watch the accompanying YouTube video explanations found here. Then at the conferences families are welcome to ask questions about these documents during the syndrome breakout sessions or privately between sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions Section 10
Attendees frequently have questions about what to expect at the conference and how registration works. We invite you to read our FAQ’s to learn more about the conference and contact us with any additional questions! Feel free to contact the Registry office for registration assistance and / or questions at office@chromosome.org or call 210.657.4968
Childcare will be provided by a professional service for this year’s Chromosome 18 Decoded. In addition, we will be offering program tracks for Self-Advocates and Siblings. We will have a lounge and hang-out space for kids in each of these groups. It will be a place where the kids can sign themselves in and out (with their parent’s permission).
Schedules will be available for childcare activities closer to the date of the conference!
Event SponsorshipSection 12
By being part of the 26th Annual Chromosome 18 – Decoded your organization can make a difference to the lives of these individuals and families affected by chromosome 18 abnormalities. View the 2019 Chromosome 18 Decoded Sponsorship Packet now! Contact office@chromosome18.org with any questions!
Our 2018 Annual Conference was held in Baltimore, MD from July 2-4th. Section 13
