The USH Connections Conference is the largest gathering of the global Usher syndrome community. At USH2024, the Usher Syndrome Coalition welcomed 482 total participants from 20 countries. This included 396 in-person attendees and 86 virtual attendees. We also worked with 92 Access Providers - interpreters, SSPs/Co-Navigators, captioners, etc - meaning this gathering touched a total of 574 lives!

The purpose of the USH Connections Conference is to remind those in the Usher community that they are not alone and to empower families with knowledge about Usher syndrome, available resources, and current research efforts. Over the years, over 1400 attendees from 37 countries and 50 states in the U.S. have come together at these conferences to learn, share, and meet their "USH Family."

In 2024, around 1/3 of attendees were parents and family members, 1/3 were adults living with Usher syndrome, and the remaining third were researchers, clinicians, and professionals serving the Usher community.

WHY A HYBRID EVENT?
Since 2020, we’ve seen how vital virtual access is for many in the Usher syndrome community. Each hybrid conference - USH2022 and USH2024 - has drawn larger and more diverse participation, thanks to intentional engagement of remote attendees and expanded language translation options. USH2026 will build on this progress, aiming to be our most inclusive and far-reaching gathering yet. 

CONFERENCE SPONSORSHIP 

Please consider partnering with us as a sponsor of this event. Together, we will advance the Coalition's mission to build, connect and support the global Usher community, moving us all closer to treatments and a cure.