Information about the 2023 Aicardi Syndrome Family Conference
The conference is a 3-day opportunity to meet, connect with, and learn from other families; to hear speakers discussing topics of specific interest to our group; and to have fun! All families of children with Aicardi Syndrome are welcome to attend.
Conference Expenses:
The Aicardi Syndrome Foundation generously covers most of the conference costs for attending families. These costs are outlined below. The conference has no registration fee, but you must cover your own travel costs to reach the conference location. Parking is free at the hotel.
HOTEL ROOMS: Booking your hotel room is the responsibility of each Aicardi family. The Aicardi Syndrome Foundation will pay for ONE room (including tax) per AS child for THREE nights: Thursday (7/6/23), Friday (7/7/23) and Saturday (7/8/23). After you finish registering for the conference, please book your room(s) by using the link provided in your registration confirmation. This link will allow you to book within our block of rooms. If you prefer to call instead of using the website, you must use one of the two numbers provided, in order for it to be covered by the Foundation. If you wish to stay additional nights at your own expense at the Marriott Denver Tech Center, they will honor a special discounted rate of $129 per night for three days before and after the conference dates on an “as-available” basis.
There is a limit of 2 ROOMS PER FAMILY at the group rate, so that all families have an opportunity to participate. If your family requires additional rooms, please notify the Conference Committee and ask to be put on the waiting list for any rooms remaining in the block after the registration cut-off date of June 1, 2023.
Hotel rooms in the block are available on a first come, first served basis, so we recommend that you do not wait to make your hotel reservations. Similarly, if you find that you are not able to attend the conference after you have registered, please notify the conference committee as soon as possible, so that the rooms can be used by other Aicardi families who may need them.
Please note that each individual family will be responsible for their own incidental charges (including but not limited to room service, movies, roll aways, cancellation or no-show penalties, room damage, and smoking). If you need to make special arrangements for checking in early, checking out late or any additional items for the weekend (ie: roll-away bed, crib, etc.) you will need to contact the hotel directly. There is a mini-fridge in each room. Microwaves will be provided based upon availability.
The hotel will require a credit or debit card upon check-in. Families who reserve rooms within the block must notify the hotel before or at the time of check in if they plan to leave earlier than their scheduled departure. An early departure fee will be charged to the guest’s individual credit card for failure to notify the hotel in a timely manner. This fee will not be paid by the Aicardi Foundation.
Hotel Check-in time: 3:00pm Hotel Check-out time: 12:00pm
MEALS: The Aicardi Syndrome Foundation will generously cover 6 meals for our Aicardi families during the conference. All meals are served buffet style. Meals include Thursday dinner, Friday brunch, Friday dinner, Saturday brunch, Saturday dinner, and Sunday breakfast.
- The Foundation will pay for conference meals for up to 4 adults per attending family. Please note that the 4 adults allowed include parents, grandparents, siblings 23 years and older, and any other relatives and/or non-relatives.
- The Foundation will pay for conference meals for all Aicardi Syndrome children and their siblings aged 22 years or less. Any siblings 23 years or older will be counted as one of the 4 adults in your group.
- Any extra (non-sibling) children or adults beyond the 4 adults will incur the following meal surcharge fees. Please note that children 3 & under eat free.
Each Breakfast or Brunch: $21.75 for ages 4-11 $29.00 for ages 12 & up
Each Dinner: $33.75 for ages 4-11 $45.00 for ages 12 & up
MEAL SURCHARGES: The conference committee will contact you after you register with information and/or the total amount due on your meal surcharges. Payment for the meal surcharge(s) must be received by June 15, 2023. Checks should be made payable to The Aicardi Syndrome Foundation, and mailed to: Cindy Hodgeman, 11277 W Portola St., Boise, ID 83709
If you have questions about anything surrounding the conference, please feel free to contact our conference committee at aicardisyndromeconference@gmail.com
Photo Submissions:
Hello all,
In 2000, we started a beloved conference tradition of putting together a slideshow with pictures of every child attending, set to music.
The slideshow is usually shown on Saturday evening before the dance. If your family is attending the 2023 family conference, please send me 2-5 pictures of your child. I would like pictures of your child smiling, your child with her siblings or family, your child doing something you may not have expected, or just a treasured picture of your darling. I typically try to get two pictures of each child in the presentation. If I have questions or a special need, I will email you. While I would love to include every child in our group, the slideshow would be much too long so we ask only for photos of the children attending the conference. Please email all pictures to aicardislideshow23@gmail.com. Deadline for receiving photos is June 6, 2023. Looking forward to seeing how our previous conference attendees have grown and also to meeting our precious conference newbies!
Maryellen and Laurie Costa
Angel Photos:
If you have not previously submitted a photo of your daughter who has passed on, please send a photo to aicardisyndromeconference@gmail.com