We are pleased to announce the Second International Transverse Myelitis Symposium. It will be held at the Holiday Inn, Inner Harbor in Baltimore from July 12th-15th 2001.

This symposium promises to be an amazing opportunity for patients and caregivers to meet other patients with TM, to discuss issues with other patients and with health care providers, and to hear what the scientific community is doing to figure out this disease. Many of you have not met other TM patients, and I think all of us would agree from the Seattle symposium that this is a really important opportunity. Further, there will be several discussions by various physicians about how to manage the ongoing symptoms of TM until we develop better treatments for them.

The symposium will have several overlapping goals. Several prominent physicians and scientists have committed to attend, and this promises to foster an exciting exchange of scientific information. Lectures will discuss the underlying causes of TM, acute treatments and chronic treatments (including neural stem cells and other strategies aimed at restoring function). We will also discuss when we may initiate stem cell trials in humans! Through the symposium, we will formally establish a network of hospitals providing excellence in care to TM patients. This consortium will serve to further our goals of understanding this disease and improving treatments. Finally, we hope to educate patients and caregivers about this disease, treatment options and what the future may hold.

The Holiday Inn was selected because we wanted to keep the room cost as low as possible. The Hotel has several wheelchair?accessible rooms available, but we may need to have some people stay in nearby hotels if the demand is too great.

An Early Registration and a Welcoming Reception will take place Wednesday evening, July 11th from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn, Inner Harbor Hotel on the Rooftop Level. Regular registration and continental breakfast will begin on Thursday morning on the Lobby Level. The program will start immediately following and continue all day Thursday, Friday and Saturday with a half-day session on Sunday.

The details regarding the registration process are provided in the following information. We are also providing you with two registration forms, which are included with this newsletter. Each registrant (each person planning to attend the sessions and paying the registration fee) is being requested to fill out a form. You may also register on-line at the following website: . If you register on-line, be sure to fill out a separate registration form for each registrant. We appreciate your taking the time to register in this fashion; it will assist us in keeping accurate records.

We are looking forward to seeing you in Baltimore.

The Second International
Transverse Myelitis Symposium: Registration

Sponsored by The Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine
Thursday through Sunday
July 12 - 15, 2001

Target Audience: Physicians and other health care providers (i.e., physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers), scientists, transverse myelitis patients and their caregivers.

Course Description: This symposium is designed to foster understanding of the clinical and research features of transverse myelitis and to facilitate interaction and discussion among patients with TM and caregivers.

Objectives: Upon completion of this program, the participant should be able to:

• identify the clinical features of transverse myelitis;
• identify current treatments for transverse myelitis;
• understand current research and potential future interventions; and
• recognize issues of management of TM patients.

General Information

Meeting Location and
Accommodations

Holiday Inn, Inner Harbor
301 West Lombard Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
(800) HOLIDAY
(410) 685-3500
Fax: (410) 727-6169

Conference Rate: $159 Single/Double plus 12.5% tax

Hotel Cut-off Date: June 24, 2001
Conveniently located in downtown Baltimore, the Holiday Inn is within walking distance of the Inner Harbor, the site of many attractions, shops, restaurants and clubs.

Call the Holiday Inn directly to make your room reservation and be sure to mention the Johns Hopkins TM meeting to receive the special group rate. Fully handicapped accessible rooms are limited. Additional handicapped rooms are available at the Days Inns Hotel, which is two blocks from the Holiday Inn. You may call the Days Inn directly at (410) 576-1000, if you are unable to secure a room at the conference site. The Cut-off date for the Days Inn is June 11th.

United Airlines Discounts: ID # 549TJ
Call (800) 521-4041 for discount rates.

Ground Transportation from
Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI)

Handicapped-Accessible Light Rail Service is available from the International Wing (East Wing) of the BWI Airport, from the lower level, which is also the baggage level. You will see a sign over the door "To the Light Rail." The light rail runs from 5:20 a.m. to midnight, weekdays and Saturdays and from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sundays.

You should take the Northbound train to the University Center-Baltimore Street stop, a ride of about 25 minutes. The stop is on Howard Street between Baltimore and Lombard Streets. The hotel is on the corner of Howard and Lombard Streets; you will see the hotel on your left as you travel north to the stop. Regular fare is $1.35 one-way and only $.45 one-way for those in wheelchairs.

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The BWI Airport Van is available with 24 hours notice. There are nine vans available that can handle one wheelchair at a time. Call (410) 859-1102 or 1103 to make arrangements. Cost is approximately $20 one-way to the hotel.

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BWI Airport taxis are readily available on the lower level of the airport.

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The Super Shuttle ($11 - one way) makes regularly scheduled stops at the hotel. The vans are available on the lower level. There is one wheelchair-accessible van. To make arrangements for this van, call 1-800-258-3826 ahead of time. The van can accommodate one chair and four guests or two chairs and two guests. The cost is also $11.

Registration Fees

Physicians: $400
Residents & Fellows (with verification of status), and Allied Health Professionals: $300
The Transverse Myelitis Association Members: $200
        
The registration fee includes instructional materials, refreshment breaks and luncheons. Foreign payments must be made by credit card or with a U.S. Dollar World Money Order, and government payments must be made with IMPACT credit cards.

Please note: The registration fee for pre-registered participants must be received by the start of the meeting. Payments received after that date, including on-site registrations, will be assessed a $25 surcharge. A certificate of attendance cannot be provided until payment has been received and processed. Certificates for registrations received within five days of the start of the course and for on-site registrations will be mailed within four weeks of the completion of the course.

An enrollment confirmation will be sent to each registrant. If you do not receive a confirmation by July 5th, please call (410) 955-3169 to confirm that you are registered.

Cancellation Policy: If you must cancel, notify the Office of Continuing Medical Education by phone, (410) 955-2959, or fax, (410) 955-0807. An administrative fee of $50 will be retained on all refunds, which will be processed only after written notice is received. Cancellations received after July 5th are non-refundable. The Johns Hopkins University reserves the right to cancel this course at any time. In this event, the full registration fee will be returned to the registrant.

Registration and Reception: An Early Registration and a Welcoming Reception will take place Wednesday evening, July 11th from 4:30 - 6:30 PM at the Holiday Inn, Inner Harbor Hotel on the Rooftop Level. Regular registration and continental breakfast will begin on Thursday morning on the Lobby Level.

Social Events

A reception and tour of the National Aquarium will be held on Friday evening at 7:00 PM and a banquet at the conference site will be held on Saturday evening at 6:30 PM for registrants, faculty and their guests. Please indicate your attendance on the meeting registration form. There is no additional cost for attending these events.

Accreditation

The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians. The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine takes responsibility for the content, quality and scientific integrity of this CME activity.

For Further Information:

Office of Continuing Medical
Education
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
720 Rutland Avenue, Turner 20
Baltimore, Maryland 21205-2195
(410) 955-2959
FAX (410) 955-0807
cmenet[AT SIGN]jhmi.edu

Program Updates: The website will be updated regularly with the program schedule, faculty listing and credit information: . A map of Baltimore, which locates the Holiday Inn, Inner Harbor is also included on the website.