Grammy Winning Guitarist Peter Frampton to be Keynote Speaker for The Myositis Association's Virtual International Annual Patient Conference

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Myositis Association (TMA) is pleased to announce that Grammy Award winning artist, Peter Frampton, will open TMA's Virtual International Annual Patient Conference scheduled for September 11-13, 2020.  Frampton is among the most celebrated guitarists in rock history. Frampton was diagnosed with Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM), a rare degenerative muscular disease, and recently completed his Farewell Tour in the United States.  Frampton is a staunch public advocate for awareness of IBM and increasing research and research funding for myositis diseases.

TMA's Virtual International Annual Patient Conference is TMA's premiere myositis patient education event.  For more than a quarter-century, TMA has provided the world's largest myositis patient, care partner, industry and global expert gathering at its Annual Patient Conference. This conference provides a unique opportunity to come together to address myositis research, technological advancements, clinical care best practices, support, resources and helps to empower myositis patients worldwide. 

TMA's Virtual Annual Patient Conference will bring together over 500 people living with myositis, their family members, and the medical community to learn how to live more fully with one of these rare, debilitating diseases of the muscles. This year's Annual Patient Conference theme, @Home, unites us virtually from around the world during this unprecedented time of Covid-19. 

Featured among the weekend's 34 expert speakers will be members of TMA's Medical Advisory Board, comprised of 21 of the world's foremost myositis experts from such distinguished US institutions as University of Pittsburgh, Washington University, Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins Myositis Center, the NIH, University of Pennsylvania, Ohio State University, Oregon Health & Science University, Tulane University, UCLA, UC Irvine, and SUNY-Bingham. These experts will be joined by their international colleagues from France, United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands.  Peter Frampton said, "It's the researchers and the clinicians who fill me with hope.  I have to thank them all, for everything they do for us.  We as patients become the recipients of their expertise and insight."

In addition to expert lead sessions, this conference will offer unique opportunities for patients, family members, and care partners to connect and re-connect with other myositis patients, care partners, experts and industry partners in one of TMA's interactive chat rooms or social events. Attendees with have opportunities to gain new insights, engage in thoughtful dialogue, share experiences, ask questions, support one another or just catch up and learn about tips and tricks others have discovered for coping with myositis. Attendees will also have the opportunity to interact with our 15 exhibitors and sponsors at their exhibit booths. 

Additionally, TMA is offering unique interactive programming to bring the virtual experience to life, "We know that no matter how engaging the sessions are, people need more from these virtual events than just listening to engaging speakers. TMA is excited to offer powerful interactive sessions including our cook-a-long which will get our members up and moving and learning critical skills for adaptive cooking," says TMA Executive Director Mary McGowan. "Our virtual tour of a recent home modification will allow attendees to journey along with a fellow member as he works on the challenges of home modification himself to accommodate his debilitating disease.  And our networking and fireside chat sessions will allow the community to come together in communion to share and support one another in face-to-face chats with the support of our trained support group leaders. This promises to be an extraordinary global event.    

About Myositis 
Myositis is a rare autoimmune disease of the muscles that causes muscle damage and chronic disability. With severe weakness, pain, fatigue, debilitating skin rashes, and other often life-threatening symptoms, patients find it difficult to perform even simple day-to-day activities, including walking, climbing stairs, and raising their arms to comb their hair.  

Myositis has several forms, including dermatomyositis, polymyositis, inclusion body myositis, necrotizing myopathy, and juvenile forms of the disease. Patients may also face other life-threatening disorders, such as interstitial lung disease, antisynthetase syndrome, difficulty swallowing, and a higher risk of cancer and other diseases. There is no cure for myositis.  

About The Myositis Association (TMA) 
The Myositis Association is the leading international nonprofit organization committed to the global community of people living with myositis, their care partners, family members, and the medical community. TMA has provided over $7million to help advance the field of myositis research and TMA provides patient education and support, advocacy, and physician education. To learn more about myositis go to www.myositis.org.  

SOURCE The Myositis Association

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