Myositis Association to bring global patient conference to St. Louis

The Myositis Association will host MyoCon 2026 in St. Louis from Sept. 24-27, bringing hundreds of patients, caregivers, clinicians and researchers together around rare disease care, research and support. The event is designed to speed diagnosis, improve treatment and strengthen community for people living with myositis.

Why it matters: - MyoCon 2026 is the world’s largest annual gathering for people with myositis, a rare autoimmune disease group that can cause chronic muscle inflammation, pain, fatigue and trouble swallowing. - The conference brings patients, care partners, clinicians and researchers together to push for better diagnostics, treatments and day-to-day support. - The event also gives people living with a rare disease a place to share information and build community.

What happened: - The Myositis Association will hold MyoCon 2026 from Sept. 24-27 in St. Louis. - The annual global patient conference is in its 31st year. - Hundreds of attendees from around the world are expected to participate. - The meeting centers on inspiration, education and advocacy for myositis care and research.

The details: - Myositis is a group of rare autoimmune diseases involving chronic muscle inflammation. - Paula Eichenbrenner, executive director of The Myositis Association, said the organization is focused on education, support, advocacy and research. - Meghan O’Rourke, author of The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness, will deliver the opening keynote and speak about misdiagnosis, chronic illness and how people can feel seen. - Mike Bush, longtime KSDK-TV news anchor in St. Louis, will give the closing keynote and draw on stories of resilience in chronic and rare disease. - More than 35 breakout sessions will cover advocacy and faith, mental health, care partnerships, myositis and motherhood, difficult conversations, assistance programs and clinical trial experiences. - Experts will also present research updates and treatment and care advances. - Tailored sessions will cover dermatomyositis, immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy, inclusion body myositis, antisynthetase syndrome, polymyositis and overlap myositis. - Conference excursions include a visit to the Neuroscience Research Building at Washington University in St. Louis. - Speakers there will discuss emerging research priorities, daily function measures, genomics and other myositis topics. - The Heroes in the Fight Awards Gala will honor Father Stuart Long, Conrad (Chris) Weihl, the Hospital for Special Surgery’s Scleroderma, Vasculitis and Myositis Center and Catherine (Kitty) Trejo. - Registration information is available here. - The Myositis Association says press pass requests should be sent to media@myositis.org.

Between the lines: - The conference is built as both a medical meeting and a community event, which reflects how rare-disease patients often need scientific updates and peer support at the same time. - The keynote lineup signals that TMA is aiming to pair clinical education with stories that make the disease experience more accessible to a broader audience. - The emphasis on diagnosis-specific sessions suggests the organization is trying to meet the needs of patients with different forms of myositis rather than offering a one-size-fits-all program.

What's next: - Attendees will gather in St. Louis later this week for sessions, keynote talks, workshops and recognition events. - The conference is expected to surface new research priorities and reinforce calls for improved diagnosis and treatment. - More information is available on The Myositis Association website The Myositis Association