Dear Friends

This is my 3rd year to bring a conference to IMDSA. Each year it gets better and better! This year, seemed to be an extra special year for IMDSA. It was a year of many firsts and a year of many amazing bonds.

As I bustled about throughout the conference weekend, making sure everything was in place and running smoothly, I noticed throughout some very wonderful and amazing events.

Parents were at the edges of their seats hanging on every word of the presenters. They eagerly wrote notes and the speakers revealed information and tips and they asked questions and wrote more notes and smiled and felt relieved with the information.

During the sharing sessions, parents were able to open up and talk with one another and they knew that they were among more than just friends, but family. They were able to bond with each other because they knew that the other families in the room understood what they were going through.

Kids were running about in the Kid Konference and although it may have looked chaotic to the onlooker, these kids were having fun! They were learning new and interesting things and they were making friends! They really had a blast!

At the youth conference, passers by would stop for a moment and listen as the room was filled with laughter and most all of the adults said how jealous they were of not being in the youth conference because they sounded like they were having so much fun. And these teens and young adults were truly having a great time! They learned valuable information and they made strong bonds and memories that will last them for a life time.

By the time our Saturday evening banquet came, I was able to witness some truly remarkable moments! One of our youth was reluctant to come into the banquet. But, after her new friends talked to her, she was eager to participate and came right in! After eating, we had the pleasure of hearing the youth sing the song " Lean on Me ". What a fitting song for new friends to sing together. And let me tell you! They sang that song with all of their heart and soul! I had a hard time speaking after their song because I was choking back the tears, as was everyone else in the room. Then, we had the pleasure to hear Melissa Bishop talk about her life as a wife and mom despite her having MDS. When she was finished, there was a three-minute-long standing ovation for her! Families came up to me afterwards and told me what a difference it had made in their lives to hear Melissa talk. Then, we had our dance. Everyone in the room was dancing! It didn't matter how old, or how young you were. There was music and it was time to dance! But I have to say that the most touching moment for me and the one moment that I could see that our bringing this conference to the world was when one of our young men got one of our very shy young ladies to finally dance. And when he broke that barrier of shyness within her, they danced the rest of the night! And...she smiled!

That is what IMDSA is about. Bringing people together, if even for one night, and helping them smile! I have such a pleasure of being your president and witnessing these little "miracles" that most people on the outside would think was "no big deal". I am thankful for all the wonderful volunteers and speakers and attendees who came to Richmond . If you have not attended one of our conferences in the past, I encourage you to do so in the future. Yes, you will learn some very valuable information by all of our amazing speakers! But, even more importantly, you will walk away with an unbreakable bond between the other families and your kids will smile!

Kristy Colvin

IMDSA President