SALT LAKE CITY, UT – The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation’s 9th Annual Conference begins Wednesday, February 23 and is taking place at the Salt Palace Convention Center. The three-day conference is presented by the nonprofit Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation and is also offered virtually. Attendees and presenters from around the world represent healthcare, industry, advocacy organizations, patients, caregivers, academia and regulatory bodies. Registration is open now.

“The conference brings together a multidisciplinary group of experts from around the world to present and exchange ideas and scientific proposals relating to the complex landscape of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Global collaboration and high-quality research are hallmarks of the conference,” said Foundation CEO and Founder, Stacie C. Lindsey, “A scientific conference that gives patients a seat at the table is the kind of inclusive, collaborative effort that makes this community unique. We look forward to a great conference.” .

The Foundation is the world’s leading resource for CCA, a rare but deadly bile duct cancer. He strives to improve early detection methods, advance treatment options, and improve the quality of life and survival of patients with ACC. The conference is the premier source for presenting cutting-edge research, innovative therapies and patient education. In 2021, more than 1,600 attendees from 50 states and 52 countries – 700 patients and caregivers, 300 clinicians and researchers, and 400 industry representatives and sponsors – participated in the virtual conference.

“The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation has helped me connect with other patients while learning about the ever-changing nature of this disease. The Foundation has brought hope to a wide range of people around the world who are fighting their own battle, researching a cure, or caring for someone who is facing the battle of their life,” said said Deborah Kilmer, a CCA survivor.

Distinguished conference co-chairs are Jesper Andersen, PhD, University of Copenhagen in Denmark, and Lipika Goyal, MD, MPhil, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center. They are also among 56 speakers who will present designated sessions throughout the conference focused on basic, translational and clinical research, including new data on an immunotherapy option for patients. Forty poster presentations disseminating important research findings are also featured at the conference.

Additionally, the Foundation is honoring three individuals with its distinguished Mark R. Clements Award for Volunteerism, Community Impact and Vision, Innovation and Collaboration. Mark R. Clements is the brainchild of the Foundation. He died of the disease in January 2006. His sister, Stacie C. Lindsey, and other family members granted Mark’s wishes and founded the 501(c)(3) which is now entering its 16th year. of existence.

“The Mark R. Clements Awards are the highest honor bestowed by the Foundation each year. As a cholangiocarcinoma patient himself, Mark Clements was truly the inspiration and driving force behind the creation of this Foundation,” Lindsey said. “Before Mark passed away, his wish was to create something that could help others gain the kind of support he provided. This award reflects the umbrella of hope that covers this community.

As part of the conference, the airlift at City Creek Center in downtown Salt Lake City will be illuminated in green, the official color of cholangiocarcinoma. The Foundation works with volunteers around the world to implement green lighting in buildings, homes, hospitals, towers and bridges to raise awareness of the estimate 10,000 people in the United States who are diagnosed with CCA each year and tens of thousands more around the world.

However, the incidence of rare cancer is increasing. A recent study (Open JAMA Network) estimates that by 2040, liver and bile duct cancer will be the third deadliest cancer in the United States. To advocate for much-needed funding and promote education about the disease, February is designated as Cholangiocarcinoma Awareness Month. During this month, the Foundation is sponsoring a campaign called “Turn on the green for the CCAto raise awareness and encourage participation in world cholangiocarcinoma day – 12 February.

Additionally, the campaign honors those who have died from the disease, celebrates patients and survivors, and solicits donations for cholangiocarcinoma-specific research. A series of educational videos, photos and graphics are also shared throughout the month. This campaign is accompanied by advocacy with a Turn on the green for the CCA march the evening of the first day – Patients Day – of the conference. This march takes place in downtown Salt Lake City with approximately 200 participants dressed in phosphorescent clothing and carrying green lanterns to symbolize hope for a cure.

On the last day of the conference, February 25, volunteers prepare 1,500 care kits for newly diagnosed patients with ACC across the United States. These free kits can be requested via Newly diagnosed/new to CCF. Kits include carry bags, water bottles, blankets, sunglasses, hand sanitizer, lip balm, notepads, pens, among other hand-selected comfort items by the patients themselves.

Media are invited participate in the conference and cover the sessions, Turn on the green for the CCA march and Care Kit Assembly Feb. 25, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Contact the Utah-based Foundation for a registration code that allows media to attend virtually online for free.

About cholangiocarcinoma:
Cholangiocarcinoma, pronounced (koh-LAN-jee-oh-KAR-sih-NOH-muh), is a highly fatal and rare bile duct cancer of the liver with a poor prognosis. With approximately 10,000 cases diagnosed each year in the United States, cholangiocarcinoma is the second most common primary liver cancer in the world. It is often diagnosed at advanced stages when treatment is only marginally effective, highlighting the imminent need for new therapies.

About the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation:
Founded in 2006, the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation is a global 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Its mission is to support patients and make cholangiocarcinoma (cancer of the bile ducts) a treatable disease. The Foundation is also part of a world alliance and partners with institutions in the UK, Thailand, Italy, Denmark, Japan and other countries. For more information, please visit our website at cholangiocarcinoma.org. You can also contact CCF Communications Director Jennifer Weaver at [email protected]