The 21st Annual Chromosome 18 Registry Family Conference ~ New York City/Stamford, Connecticut

Hi Chromosome 18 Family Members!  It’s time once again to begin the planning process for the 2014 Annual Chromosome 18 “NYC” Family Conference to be held at the Marriott Hotel & Spa in downtown Stamford, Connecticut – very close to New York City, the beautiful Hudson Valley and conveniently located immediately next to both I-95 and Amtrak as well as accessible via four major New York City area airports (JFK, LaGuardia, Newark and Westchester).  Please click on the link below to learn more about the airports and the ground transportation available from each of the airports to the hotel.  http://www.marriott.com/hotels/maps/travel/stfct-stamford-marriott-hotel-and-spa/).

The Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa embodies a unique mix of New York City energy and New England charm in a seaside town dotted with cafes, restaurants, boutiques, theatre and the arts.  Directly across the street from the hotel is the Stamford Town Center Mall, which was featured in the 1991 movie “Scenes from a Mall” starring Bette Midler and Woody Allen.  There you will find a host of stores, a food court, restaurants, a Barnes and Noble and movie theatre. Stamford is also sandwiched between tony tree-lined Greenwich, CT and Norwalk, CT --  the latter boasting a renowned aquarium. 

The hotel – which is known for its friendly staff and atmosphere -- features an indoor/outdoor rooftop pool overlooking Stamford as well as a fully-equipped gym, spa and – very importantly – self-service laundry facilities.  There is free wifi with parking reduced to $10 per day, which in New York is pretty close to “free” for parking. To find out more about what the hotel offers, please click on the link below.  http://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-information/travel/stfct-stamford-marriott-hotel-and-spa/

Click here for a map of area near hotel

Click here to see some attractions in the area 

But the real attraction is New York City and the conference itself!

Because this is a “NYC” conference, we will be mixing the usual conference formula up a bit with a little NY attitude, grit and style. We have always felt that the best take-away from this conference is meeting other family and friends as well as spending quality time with the members of the Chromosome 18 team from San Antonio.  To that effect, we have shifted the schedule around a bit from previous years to expand break-out sessions, including Drs. Cody and Hale visiting each of the break-out sessions individually with ample time for information exchange and Q & A. Further, we are adding more structure to these breakout sessions to ensure that specific questions are addressed. Adding to the already established Self-Advocates and Sibling tracks, a new track is being introduced this year – Self-Advocates in Training  (for Teens and Tweens) who will one day join the Self-Advocates group.  To provide sufficient time for conversing with other attendees, we are also scheduling a daytime excursion into New York City, including a guided boat tour around Manhattan and getting up close to such sites as the Statue of Liberty, the Freedom Tower, the Brooklyn Bridge and Yankee Stadium.  Transportation, guided tour and meals for this day are all included in the cost of the conference.  Additionally, we have scheduled NY pizza & movie night with Kartemquin film’s new release, On Beauty, featuring Rick Guidotti, Positive Exposure and members of our own Chromosome 18 family. Please note:  Daycare and other activities will be available during movie night.  As in previous years, the conference will have an opening reception, closing dinner dance as well as the sibling and self-advocate panels. Moreover, there will be a planned Mom’s Night Out (grandmas, aunts and friends are welcome too) and Dad’s Night Out (grandpas, uncles and friends, too).  And, of course, there will be the usual fare of panels, speakers and workshops with Corporate Kids for daycare – and Rick Guidotti on his home turf!

If you want to extend your New York City vacation, the hotel is honoring the special group rate from July 4 to July 11, which means that you can see the Macy’s 4^th of July fireworks before the conference and/or stay a few days after.  Trust us, this is a very good hotel rate and hotel for a NYC vacation.  Should you drive into the city, we can give you tips on parking, getting a good deal on Broadway tickets and others things to see and do. But you don’t need a car as the hotel is around the corner from Metro-North commuter rail, which takes you directly into NYC’s famous Grand Central Station. 

Please check back here as we will continue to update the schedule and add other bits of information. 

We look forward to seeing everyone in Stamford! 

 Liz and Seth Grossman