On Saturday, July 19th, CANAAF’s Come Together Conference Day 2025 brought together a vibrant community of over 120 attendees from across Canada – including Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton, and Richmond, BC – to the Toronto Zoo. Hosted by CANAAF volunteer board members, the day was filled with meaningful connections, shared experiences, and plenty of fun.

The day kicked off with a zoo-wide scavenger hunt, where participants tracked down animals and completed fun photo and activity challenges for a chance to win amazing prizes.

Before lunch, CANAAF’s President Carolynne Harrison and Vice President Melissa Riley warmly welcomed attendees, introduced board members, and expressed heartfelt thanks to the Canadian alopecia areata community for their support.

This was followed by a 45-minute “Lunch and Learn” featuring engaging presentations on alopecia areata and the latest news and research on alopecia areata treatments, led by two dermatology residents, Dr. Eric McMullen and Dr. Dea Metko, and Shanti Mehta, a medical student. Audience members also had the opportunity to ask questions and deepen their understanding of new treatment options during a lively Q&A. Attendees enjoyed an all-you-can-eat BBQ buffet lunch of burgers, hot dogs, salads, chips, and popsicles.

In the afternoon, attendees participated in five breakout support sessions designed for kids, teens, parents, and adults to connect and share their personal experiences with alopecia areata. The kids group enjoyed art activities, story time, and fun group games, while the teens group caught up with one another while exploring the zoo.

After the breakout sessions, everyone gathered for a group photo to commemorate the day, and attendees were given some extra time to finish the scavenger hunt. The conference ended on a high note with a delicious buffet dinner and the much-anticipated dance party – the highlight of the evening – from 7 to 9 pm.

CANAAF wishes to thank Cetaphil and Johnson & Johnson for their generous prize and gift basket donations. We also want to thank our incredible conference sponsors, Pfizer Canada, Lilly Canada, and Sun Pharma, for making this annual event possible.

 

Article Written By Laura Schober