Young Adults Connect at Nashville Conference, Offer Hope to One Another
Young adults between 18 and 30 came from all across the United States and from as far away as Italy and Ireland to attend the VF’s Vasculitis Conference in Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday, March 22. They came to learn more about vasculitis and to connect with others their age, who shared similar experiences. They wanted to know they are not alone and that there is hope after a vasculitis diagnosis.
The response to the scholarship opportunity confirmed that this age group wants to get together to learn about and discuss their diagnosis.
“It’s one thing to connect with other vasculitis patients, but to drill down a bit more and connect with other young adults made a world of difference,” said Caleb Lounsbery, one of the scholarship recipients, who traveled to the conference from South Carolina. “While we are all going through similar struggles no matter what our age, there’s a lot to be said about connecting with those that are closer to your age group.”
The VF brought the group together for dinner Friday evening before the conference so they could get to know one another. They met for hours sharing their experiences and asking questions. 
On Saturday, during the conference, Dr. Catherine Sims, Duke University, gave a presentation geared specifically to the young adults.
Barbara Hastings, whose gift was in memory of her son, Matt Zupanc, who passed away in 2022 from a rare form of cancer, joined with former board member Suzanne DePaolis to fund the scholarships. Suzanne’s gift was made in memory of Meaghan Carpenter, who died suddenly in 2019. Both Matt and Meaghan were diagnosed with vasculitis at a young age and had attended numerous VF conferences and volunteered as leaders and mentors for other young adults and kids diagnosed with vasculitis. The scholarships included two nights at the hotel in Nashville as well as travel funds for those who had to travel a distance.
“I feel so happy that funds were used for this, Barbara said. “I am so grateful Matt had the VF, it meant so much to him to have this connection to others!”
Participants praised all of the presenters who donated their time and expertise throughout the day. They also appreciated the opportunity they had to talk with the experts one-on one. The young adults also enjoyed networking with one another.
“The most useful thing I learned? That we’re not alone in this fight, the people that love us are rooting for us, and are here for us, and that there is still so much hope even when everything overwhelms us,” said James Schmidt, who traveled to the conference from Dublin, Ireland.
After the conference, the group ventured out to do some sightseeing in Nashville. The get-together offered time to decompress, learn a little more about one another and to enjoy the host city.
Giulia Frigo, a university student from Milan, Italy, flew in for the weekend and left right after the conference because she didn’t want to miss school. She was recently diagnosed with urticarial vasculitis and had never met anyone else diagnosed with vasculitis. She wanted to connect with someone her age, so she doesn’t feel so isolated. She would like to find someone her age living near her diagnosed with the same rare form of vasculitis.
Those kinds of connections resonated throughout the group.
“The Vasculitis conference was a truly incredible experience, and the scholarship gave me access to a once in a lifetime experience,” James Schmidt said. “Being able to connect and meet with those with vasculitis, more particularly GPA, has brought me a comfort that I never believed I would be capable of feeling – learning about other people’s stories, how they manage treatment, how it impacts their lives. This conference changed my outlook on my health condition, and I’m so much more hopeful.”
