A morning session on Wednesday, November 11, at ACR Convergence 2026 will give clinicians and researchers the opportunity to learn from and be inspired by the stories of patients meeting the challenges of living with rheumatological diseases.
Sarah B. Lieber, MD, MS, will moderate Patient Perspectives, which will take place from 8–9 a.m., in Room W414 of the Orange County Convention Center. A recording of the session will be available to registered participants of ACR Convergence 2026 for on-demand viewing.
“This session allows ACR Convergence attendees to hear directly from individuals with rheumatic conditions who have offered to share their stories, complementing the array of scientific sessions presented by rheumatologists and other healthcare professionals,” said Dr. Lieber, a rheumatologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, with a focus on caring for aging adults with lupus and other systemic inflammatory conditions.
The session’s three presenters will explain how they have used their experiences to create resources and strategies that can benefit the larger rheumatology community. Each participant was asked to address the same question: “What adaptations did you and/or your healthcare team adopt to better care for your health?”
Natasha Trehan, Founder of Take a Pain Check Foundation and BioMedical Science Student, Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada, will present “Learning Through Lived Experience: Supporting Students with Rheumatic Diseases.” Jennifer Gentry, Director of Strategic Engagement, Gout Support Group of America, will follow with “No One Explained My Gout, and It Nearly Broke Me, Now I Explain It So It Won’t Break Them.” Stacey Ivitis, Stacey Ivitis MSW RSW Counseling Services, will close the session with “From Lockdown to Global Reach: How Living with EGPA Led Me to Build a Psychosocial Support Program for People with Vasculitis.”
“This session honors the central role of patients in promoting not only their own health, but also the health of others, including through education and advocacy,” Dr. Lieber said.
After each podium presentation, the audience will have the opportunity to ask questions. Additional related content will be presented as more than a dozen posters displayed in the Poster Hall and available digitally.
The ACR acknowledges the Arthritis Foundation for its support of the patients’ participation in the session through the ACR Convergence Patient Participation Support Fund.
THERE’S STILL TIME TO JOIN US
If you haven’t registered for ACR Convergence 2026, you can still register on-site at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, through November 11. All registered participants receive on-demand access to scientific sessions through September 30, 2027.
