Harper Price, MD, pediatric dermatologist at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, in Arizona, cares for children with a range of genetic and congenital skin conditions including large congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN). One central focus of her caregiving role relates to keeping her kids safe in the sun.
On Friday, November 9, 2012, noted nevus scientist Veronica Kinsler of Great Ormond Street Hospital in London presented an important discovery at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Human Genetics in San Francisco. This discovery may speed up the ongoing search for ways to help people affected by congenital melanocytic nevi and neurocutaneous melanocytosis.
“Worries about other people’s reaction are one of the most frequently expressed concerns of parents of children with facial differences. These concerns are also an important factor in the decision for plastic surgery,” says Ornella Masnari, a psychologist and PhD student at University Children’s Hospital in Zurich, Switzerland. Regrettably, up to now, there has been little research in this field. Therefore, Masnari and her colleagues thought, “Let’s do our own study.”
After the birth of a baby with an exceedingly rare condition such as a large congenital melanocytic nevus (CMN), parents are overwhelmed with questions and worries, only to learn of the risk of an even rarer neurological condition that can piggyback on CMN. Yasmin Khakoo, MD, talked to parents at the 2012 Nevus Outreach Conference in Texas about this condition, called neurocutaneous melanocytosis (NCM). Melanocytes are cells that produce melanin — the pigment that colors our skin. NCM refers to deposits of melanin in the brain or central nervous system.
Moms and pops at the 2012 Nevus Outreach Conference in Texas likely enjoyed the reflections of Shawn Reynolds, PhD, as he looked back on the birth of his daughter Kalina some five years ago. After trying for several years to have a second child, he and his wife Janet had essentially given up hope. Reluctantly, they gave away all their baby furniture and equipment, saddened that they would never need it again. But four-year old Jenaya was not about to give up. She still hoped for a baby — a baby sister — and decided to pray.
Long-time members of the Nevus Outreach family will recognize Miguel Reyes-Múgica, MD, as the recipient of the first Nevus Outreach research grant in 1998. Reyes, chief of pediatric pathology and director of laboratories at Children’s Hospital, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, has long been dedicated to understanding large congenital melanocytic nevi (LCMN).
In a paper accepted for publication in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Sven Krengel, MD, Ash Marghoob, MD, and their colleagues in Europe, Israel, and the United States, propose a new consensus classification for congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN). Krengel, Department of Dermatology, Medical University, Lübeck, Germany, says that this new classification tool will help interdisciplinary scientists and patient organizations in establishing an international platform for CMN research, thus furthering international collaborations.
Roughly 20 years after the Beatles left Liverpool England for America, a little girl was born in that same town named Jodi Unsworth. She, too, would one day rise to stardom among many for her compassion for others and her dedication to making a difference in their lives. But first, this little girl had to grow up. And growing up was hard to do.
Pediatric dermatologist Veronica Kinsler, MD, PhD, has been involved with caring for children with congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN) at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London since 1997. But it wasn’t until about 2005, when she attended a Family Day at the CMN support group Caring Matters Now, that something curious caught her eye for the first time.
The term, sanctuary, generally refers to a safe place — a place of refuge or rest. It is a holy place, where one can experience joy, be at peace, and come away renewed and inspired. The Nevus Outreach biennial conferences have been all of these things and more for nevus owner Danielle Stamatiou, 35, of Toronto, Canada.
This summer's conference is on track to break all previous records for overall attendance, number of sessions, number of families, number of people with nevi, number of countries represented, number of presenters, scientists and researchers in attendance, etc. For the first time ever, it is possible we could run out of space.
Due to a mix-up at the mail-house, our conference sign-up announcements were mailed to the wrong mailing list. We wish to offer our sincerest apologies, and let you know that we have extended the early-bird deadline for one month.
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