From all of us at CANAAF, we’d like to thank everyone who joined us this past weekend for CANAAF’s COME TOGETHER 2022 Conference in Toronto. After a 3 year hiatus it was spectacular to see so many familiar faces and welcome new ones to the community.

It was difficult to choose one favourite memory from the weekend so we’ve done a recap below of some of the highlights!

We started off the weekend with a fun family swim at the Marriott rooftop pool followed by a Welcome Reception in the Fireside Lounge. Old friends reconnected and new friends got to know each other while enjoying some delicious appetizers and the Come Together 2022 Signature Drink AloPEACH-Me!

Our first stop after the reception was the Sharks After Dark adventure at Ripley’s Aquarium on Friday night. We saw incredible marine life including terrifying sharks, giant turtles, blue lobsters, and the captivatingly colourful jellyfish exhibits.

On Saturday morning, we welcomed our expert medical panel consisting of Dr. Cathryn Sibbald from SickKids Hospital, registered social worker Alison Collison, and CANAAF’s Science and Research Chair Anthony Gilding. Dr. Sibbald’s presentation announced the results of  the first Canadian study to help understand the true burden of disease in alopecia areata, a survey that you may have participated in last year which we posted on canaaf.org. Alison Collison gave an informative presentation about how to take care of your emotions and mental health related to alopecia, and Anthony Gilding gave us a very thorough crash course on alopecia areata for those in the audience seeking clarity. Dr. Aaron Drucker of Women’s College Hospital prepared a fascinating video to explain how we can gain a better understanding of alopecia areata treatments.

Saturday also saw heartwarming talks by fashion model Coco Labbee and Jennifer Krahn of Freedom Wigs, who shared their ups and downs with alopecia areata. These two outstanding, successful women connected with the room immediately through stories of struggle and triumph! Definitely a highlight of the weekend!

Shortly after, we were introduced to Maria Dedoff who’s interactive styling workshop had participants working together to put on a mini fashion show! We walked away from this workshop with great tips for re-gaining confidence in your appearance while struggling with hair loss. Danielle Williams took the stage to talk about autoimmunity and nutrition from her perspective as both a registered nutritionist and someone who lives with alopecia areata. We learned about how inflammation in the body is connected to alopecia areata, and what foods to avoid to reduce inflammation and keep you feeling your best.

The breakout support sessions welcomed separate groups for adults, parents of children, and parents of teens to have meaningful conversations about their own alopecia journeys. We also hosted our first ever men’s discussion panel for men who have alopecia or who are close with someone who does!

Meanwhile, the CANAAF Kids Club and Teens Club had a spectacular time making friends and enjoying activities together while parents were in their day sessions. The Teens even went out into Toronto on a full day excursion to Levelup Virtual Reality Arcade, The Museum of Illusions & Roundabout Canada Escape Room. You can tell by the photos just how much fun they had!

Conference attendees also got to shop and network with CANAAF’s amazing Vendors throughout the weekend. Guests took photos with Pretty Wigs to You under their fabulous balloon arch, learned about the beautiful and versatile Freedom Hair Wigs, connected with Superhairpieces who have many quality products and services, watched a live micropigmentation demonstration with Unyozi Beauty, explored the world of trichology with Truly You Hair and Scalp Clinic, and perused the fantastic, high-quality selection of products at Medical Image Wigs. And we can’t forget about Camp Maple Leaf  where we got to learn about their brand new summer camp, Camp Summit, designed for children with alopecia!

Over the weekend, Henna enthusiasts had the opportunity to receive a stunning henna crown or another custom henna design by Toronto-based business, Hennafication. But if henna wasn’t on the top of your list, you could take your time to browse our chance auction table where as many as fifteen gifts were donated by sponsors, vendors and supporters of CANAAF’s mission. Raffle tickets were sold throughout the weekend and prizes included a Cetaphil gift basket with moisturizers and cleansers, Toronto FC tickets (level 100), a lovely Coming Up Rosies gift set, and a S.C. Johnson household products gift basket. An extra special thank you goes to Heather Scott from Pretty Wigs to You for donating three gift baskets with alopecia books, accessories, wig care products, and a gorgeous Jon Renau wig!

One of the most wholesome hours of the weekend was spent with the Quinn family who founded the charity Coming Up Rosies. 11-year-old Rosie and her mother Paula created this charity with a mission to bring smiles to the faces of every child with alopecia. Everyone gathered together to hear Rosie speak and then got to draw their own pictures which Paula and Rosie turn into your very own head scarf, neck scarf, or superhero cape! The room was full of smiles and words of encouragement as everyone expressed their unique selves through drawing.

We ended off the day with an informative presentation by Caroline and Amalia Ruggiero of Truly You Hair and Scalp Clinic who introduced the importance of scalp health, a beautiful CNC hair replacement system, and the Angel Hair For Kids Program which provides wigs for children at no cost.

After dinner, we all gathered for CANAAF’s annual Dessert & Dance Party where four courageous members of the CANAAF Community performed in the CANAAF’s Got Talent show. First up was 24-year-old Jessica Rotolo who danced her heart and had a contagious energy that made us all want to get on the floor with her! Then, 8-year-old Janai showed us bold and beautiful by singing along to Cups by Anna Kendrick. Finally, Adia and her dad, Will, had our hearts melting with their duet to True Colours from the animated movie Trolls.

But the performances didn’t end there! Pro magician Jeff Hinchliffe threw our minds for a loop with his fantastical magic act, which featured some of our Kids Club members, and Maria Nicole made sure we didn’t go home without a good laugh with her stand-up comedy act that was a relatable yet fresh perspective for many of us with alopecia.

The rest of the night we danced away with our live DJ, Manie, indulged in yummy cupcakes and drinks, and took a few too many silly pictures with friends and family in the photo booth. This was a night we won’t forget!

For the CANAAF Board of Directors, Sunday morning’s Annual General Meeting marked a special moment: the first time most of us were meeting in-person and not over a Zoom call! We took a grateful moment to be together, to celebrate this wonderful community, and everything we’ve accomplished over the last year. 2023 here we come!

We had an energizing start to Sunday morning with a yoga and mindfulness session with Jennifer Baradi and CANAAF’s Group Breakfast, sponsored by Concert Pharmaceuticals. As one of CANAAF’s newer, but highly-anticipated activities, everyone joined together in the main room with family and friends while enjoying the breakfast buffet. There’s nothing quite like sharing a meal with those you love and appreciate.

A special shoutout goes to Olivia Apps, Canadian Rugby 7s team member for her inspirational documentary about growing up with alopecia, overcoming adversity, and making it to the world stage. We also give a big thank you to Crash Rhythm Junk Band for bringing our inner musicians to the surface and showing us all the power of drumming! Turns out, you don’t need fancy instruments to have fun, feel good, and connect with your own rhythm- a bucket and a pair of drumsticks works perfectly!

The weekend was closed off with the brows, lashes, and wig workshop hosted by Joy Blenman, Jennifer Krahn, and Lauryn Harrison. Everyone learned great tips from our experts and got to try out My Two Brows temporary tattoos and Velour lashes under the guidance of Joy and Lauryn. Jennifer, with the best selection of Freedom Hair wigs we’ve ever seen on one table, gave us professional advice on how best to wash, style and care for our own pieces. In one hour, the room went from wig, brow, and lash newbies to looking and feeling like seasoned veterans!

So, all’s to say it was a jam-packed weekend with much fun to be had and things to be learned. As someone who saw it all in action, the most memorable part of the weekend was seeing people of all ages with alopecia and their loved ones come together to share laughs, a few tears and create a connection that will last a lifetime. What is most special about CANAAF is what you bring to it- a open hand, a warm heart, and a smile that inspires us to do what we do. Thank you all for sharing this incredible weekend with us and making it truly special. If you weren’t able to make it this year, then we hope we get to see you next year for Come Together 2023! Stay tuned to see what more exciting things we have planned!