Journey of HoPE to Dallas
In July 2016, over 70 HPE families embarked on a journey from all corners of the U.S. to Dallas, Texas for the 2016 Family Conference on HPE. Held biennially, the conference is a collaborative endeavor among Families for HoPE, the Carter Centers for Research in Holoprosencephaly, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children and National Institutes of Health. The conference educates families on the latest advances in treatment and research, along with hands-on workshops and social sessions to enrich the lives and health of the families who attend.
Only a few days prior to kicking off the 2016 conference, we learned of the deadly sniper attack on police officers in downtown Dallas. The HPE families each evaluated the situation knowing that they would be traveling to a city where tensions were expected to run high.
As a group who epitomizes hope in the midst of great uncertainty, each of our HPE families resolved to embrace the journey, to press onward and to share their hope with the grieving citizens of Dallas.
The terrible shooting in Dallas didn’t deter us a second from our trip there for the conference. It was a great experience, but my daughter will always be sad that she was unable to fulfill her biggest wish there–to see the aquarium.