The Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome Network (HPS Network) will celebrate its 25th annual conference in 2018 and to help pay the bills, the Network is launching the Silver for Silver initiative. Supporters of the HPS Network are encouraged to save their silver change until New Years, cash in the coins and send a donation for the silver they’ve saved throughout the year. “We are asking people to send their donations around the first of the year because we need the funds to help pay the bills the conference generates for the Network,” said Heather Kirkwood, COO and Director of Communications for the HPS Network, “Another alternative is to keep the funds and use them to help pay to attend the event.”
Supporters are encouraged to take “Silver selfies” with their coin stash to encourage others. Post them with the hashtag, #HPScon18.
The HPS Conference, and the Meeting of the Minds, a scientific meeting for researchers that is co-located with the conference, are one of the most expensive programs the Network undertakes annually. “We make this investment, not just so that those affected by HPS can see one another and learn more about the syndrome, but because it is vital to supporting ongoing research to someday find a cure for HPS,” Kirkwood said.