MDA events seek to build community and help families navigate care

The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is hosting a series of four free, in-person educational events across the U.S. to support families affected by neuromuscular diseases, including myasthenia gravis (MG).

Part of the 2026 MDA Engage Symposium series, these upcoming gatherings will connect attendees directly with medical experts, the latest research updates, and peer support networks. The events are designed to deliver crucial healthcare information while building a stronger sense of community for patients and caregivers.

“Bringing the neuromuscular community together for education, connection, and empowerment is central to MDA’s mission,” Nora Capocci, the MDA’s executive vice president of healthcare services, said in an association press release. “The 2026 MDA Engage Symposiums will provide families with direct access to leading experts, cutting-edge information, and meaningful peer connection — ensuring no one navigates their care experience alone.”

The MDA is an advocacy group that promotes research, education, and policy-making to improve the lives of people with all types of neuromuscular diseases, conditions that affect the nerves and muscles.

MG is an autoimmune neuromuscular disease typically caused by self-reactive antibodies that impair the communication between nerves and muscle cells, resulting in symptoms like muscle weakness and fatigue.

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Symposium locations and dates

This year’s MDA Engage Symposium series will take place in:

• Hershey, Pennsylvania, July 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET
• Chicago, Illinois, Sept. 25-26
• Dallas, Texas, Oct. 23-24
• Stanford, California, Nov. 7, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. PT

Each event will feature expert-led panels, disease-specific breakout sessions, including about MG, opportunities for questions and answers, and community networking receptions where people in the neuromuscular disease community can connect with each other.

The events will feature keynote speeches from members of the MDA or doctors who are part of MDA Care Centers, which are clinics that the association has accredited to recognize excellence in care for neuromuscular diseases.

A range of topics will be covered, including advances in treatment and clinical trials, tips on nutrition and wellness strategies, caregiver resources and peer-to-peer connection, and training on how to effectively advocate to shape policy for the community.

“The MDA Engage Symposium is where science meets lived experience,” said Mindy Henderson, the MDA’s vice president of disability outreach and empowerment, editor-in-chief of Quest Media, and keynote speaker at the Chicago event. “As someone living with spinal muscular atrophy, I know how powerful it is to connect with other people who understand your journey. These events transform information into action and community into momentum.”

Registration for each of these events is free, though attendees must become MDA members at no cost to participate. Families can apply for travel assistance.

This MDA Engage Symposium series is sponsored by several pharmaceutical companies, including Amgen, argenx, and Johnson & Johnson, which market MG-approved therapies. Bionews, the parent company of Myasthenia Gravis News and other sites dedicated to rare neuromuscular diseases, is the series’ media partner.