Conference Ambassadors collaborate to host ISA Conference
Conference Ambassador Programme collaboration success!
International delegates are in Sheffield for the International Stillbirth Alliance Annual Conference thanks to a meeting of minds of two of the city’s leading conference ambassadors- Marta Cohen OBE and Elspeth Whitby.
The Conference of the International Stillbirth Alliance (ISA): “Reducing Inequalities Local to Global” is taking place at The University of Sheffield’s impressive Diamond Building (30th June – 2nd July 2023). It’s the first time that this international conference has taken place in England, and it’s an important celebration as 2023 marks the 20th Anniversary of the ISA.
This is all due to the vision and hard work of two of Sheffield’s leading conference ambassadors who- in working together with the team at Marketing Sheffield- produced a world beating bid to bring the conference to both England and Sheffield for the first time. Marta Cohen OBE, Consultant Paediatric Pathologist at Sheffield Children’s Hospital was instrumental in bringing this conference to Sheffield working closely with her colleague Elspeth Whitby, Radiologist and Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield.
The conference will bring together bereaved families, health professionals, researchers of allied disciplines as well as representatives of other international organisations such as the United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA). More than 130 participants from all 5 continents have registered to attend the various plenary sessions, abstracts presentations, workshop and symposiums covering aspects such as: bereavement, inequalities, perinatal diagnosis, care, pregnancy loss research, humanitarian resources, global and national disparities and how the pandemic affected maternal and foetal health. ISA is a non-profit organization founded in by three US-based bereaved mothers. They intentionally founded it as a global organization, recognizing that no country was paying sufficient attention to stillbirth, nor providing adequate support for bereaved parents and families.
Speaking about her role as a conference ambassador, Marta said,
“I became part of the Sheffield Ambassador Programme in 2015, and their help to support our bid to host ISA 2023 was crucial to pull a team together to obtain letters of support, finding appropriate venues, designing the logos, hosting the webpage and obtaining a grant from Visit Britain, which has helped to support bereaved families and participants from Low Middle Income Counties attend the conference. Marketing Sheffield and the University of Sheffield are the two key partners locally that have made it possible to host ISA 2023 in Sheffield”
Emma France, Marketing Sheffield said:
‘Marta and Elspeth were the perfect team to make this event happen and to shine a spotlight on this really important field of work. Their continued passion and dedication to bring events to the city helps us continue to put Sheffield on the map as a conference destination. Bidding for international events is no small task, let alone hosting them! I’m so proud to see many international delegates here and enjoying their time in the city. We are grateful for the ongoing enthusiasm and passion to host event of all of our conference ambassadors.’
The conference is supported by the teams at the University of Sheffield, Marketing Sheffield and event managed by Sheffield based Event Management Company, Event Management Direct.
The conference team at Marketing Sheffield are here to help event organisers with any aspect of their event. To contact the team email: Conferences@sheffield.gov.uk or call 0114 2735978. For more information visit: www.welcometosheffield.gov.uk/conference