The Annual Alpha-1 Conference will take place on Friday, 30 October at 9.30am in Marino Institute of Education in Dublin. Alpha-1 patients and their families are invited to attend. We would especially like to welcome all newly diagnosed Alphas and parents of children diagnosed with Alpha-1.

Special guest speaker is Tommie Gorman, RTÉ Northern editor and patient advocate. The exciting line-up of speakers includes Professor Gerry McElvaney, Alpha-1 specialist at Beaumont Hospital, Ms. Karen Redmond, from the Lung Transplant Unit in the Mater Hospital, and Dr Annemarie Broderick from the Gastroenterology Unit in Crumlin Children's Hospital.

Alpha-1 can cause lung and liver disease and is often misdiagnosed with emphysema or COPD. There are over 600 individuals diagnosed with severe Alpha-1 in Ireland and we predict this number will more than double as awareness of the condition increases over the next few years.