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Network Conference a Success
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Eighteen months of planning paid off handsomely as the 4th bi-annual Toronto ABI Network conference was a resounding success.
The conference, held at the Hilton Toronto on November 3 & 4, 2008, reached a maximum capacity of 425 registrants early in October. This makes the third time in a row that registration for the Network conference has sold out in advance of the event. Registrants came from across Ontario and from six provinces, as well as New York State.
The conference featured four dynamic and interesting keynote speakers, 32 podium presentations in four streams of concurrent sessions, as well as 20 poster displays. We were very pleased to have the support of 43 sponsoring organizations, the most number of sponsors to date. Most of the sponsors had exhibit booths set up in the main concourse area, which allowed participants to stop by the booths during the breaks and between sessions. Conference delegates had plenty of opportunities to visit the displays, chat with colleagues or engage presenters in informal discussion.
People's Choice Award for Outstanding Posters
For the first time at the Toronto ABI Network conference, registrants were asked to vote for their favourite poster presentations. Out of 20 posters on display, two were selected as outstanding by conference delegates, both speaking to the importance of goals:
- "A Student Who Never Stopped Learning - A Journey of Faith, A Future for a Better Life" by brain injury survivor Matthew Murdoch and his mother, Grazia Murdoch. This poster celebrated the successes that can be achieved in the face of adversity by the persistence of the human spirit.
- "Transforming Adult Day Services" by Jennie Hawking, Victoria Musgrave, Martha Northey and Kristen Pirie at COTA Health. This poster addressed the challenges of resistance to change while making the shift from a recreational group model to a multi-disciplinary, goal-oriented program structure. One of the stated objectives of this poster was to highlight how we are bringing back the idea of achieving dreams and goals to individuals with acquired brain injury.
We would like to thank the many delegates who provided feedback about this event. Comments from the evaluation form will be reviewed at the post-conference wrap up meeting and will inform the Network about how we may continue to improve the delivery of this important event.
With a conference featuring concurrent sessions, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to attend all the sessions that are of interest, especially if they are offered at the same time. To assist with the dissemination of information, presentations for most of the concurrent sessions have been posted on our website.
Visit www.abinetwork.ca/conference2008.htm for these presentations and additional highlights from the conference.
Starting in the new year we will begin planning for the next conference, which we anticipate will be held in November 2010. We hope to see you there!
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