Scleroderma Canada

06/01/2026

What is scleroderma?

Scleroderma is a rare autoimmune disease that causes the body to produce too much collagen, leading to the hardening and scarring of the skin, blood vessels, and internal organs. While some people experience changes to their skin, scleroderma can also affect the lungs, heart, digestive system, kidneys, and more.

Because symptoms can vary widely from person to person, scleroderma is often misunderstood and can be difficult to recognize. Common symptoms may include Raynaud’s phenomenon, fatigue, joint pain, digestive issues, and skin changes.

This June, we’re working to change that.

Throughout Scleroderma Awareness Month, we’ll be sharing educational content and real patient stories to help Canadians better understand this complex disease, recognize its signs, and learn about the realities of living with scleroderma.

Whether you’re hearing the word “scleroderma” for the first time or looking to deepen your understanding, we invite you to follow along, learn something new, and help spread awareness.

Scleroderma start small. Awareness shouldn’t.

Visit www.scleroderma.ca for more information.

05/30/2026

We are thrilled to announce a new addition to this year's National Scleroderma Conference Award Ceremony: the Courage in Scleroderma Award! This award recognizes and celebrates an individual living with scleroderma who continues to move forward with courage, inspires others through their lived experience, and is committed to advocacy and personal resilience.

This is a nomination-based award, and our submission form will stay open until July 19th, 2026!

Visit https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/x9jBjcbRVb or email [email protected] for more information!

05/21/2026

We are pleased to introduce Vanessa Cook as a speaker at the 2026 national scleroderma conference in Ottawa.

Vanessa is a Toronto-based Naturopathic Medical Graduate and Pilates Instructor with a focus on exercise physiology, women’s health, chronic disease management, and autoimmune care. After being diagnosed with scleroderma herself, Vanessa dedicated years of academic and clinical research to better understanding autoimmune conditions & integrative management strategies. She brings a holistic, evidence-based, and medical perspective to supporting her patients and clients. With an extensive background in rehabilitation exercise and autoimmune conditions, Vanessa integrates mindful movement with clinical insight, bridging lived experience with clinical rigor to support individuals navigating chronic illness.

05/20/2026

We are pleased to welcome the Ontario Caregiver Association to our 22nd Bi-Annual National Scleroderma Conference Exhibit Hall!

If you support someone in your life who needs you, you're not alone. That's why The Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO) exists. They support Ontario's 4 million caregivers: ordinary people who provide physical and emotional support to a family member, partner, friend, or neighbour.

OCO gives caregivers a single place to find the information, services, supports, and resources to help them feel confident and supported in what they do. And where gaps exist, OCO partners with caregivers, health care providers, and other organizations to find new and innovative ways to build bridges so all caregivers have access to the help they need.

Website: https://ontariocaregiver.ca/
LinkedIn: @ The Ontario Caregiver Organization
Facebook: The Ontario Caregiver Organization
Instagram: @ ontariocaregiver

05/20/2026

We are pleased to welcome the Ontario Caregiver Association to our 22nd Bi-Annual National Scleroderma Conference Exhibit Hall!

If you support someone in your life who needs you, you're not alone. That's why The Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO) exists. They support Ontario's 4 million caregivers: ordinary people who provide physical and emotional support to a family member, partner, friend, or neighbour.

OCO gives caregivers a single place to find the information, services, supports, and resources to help them feel confident and supported in what they do. And where gaps exist, OCO partners with caregivers, health care providers, and other organizations to find new and innovative ways to build bridges so all caregivers have access to the help they need.

Website: https://ontariocaregiver.ca/
LinkedIn: @ The Ontario Caregiver Organization
Facebook: The Ontario Caregiver Organization
Instagram:

05/09/2026

Make A Move is back! Our biggest fundraiser of the year supports education, research, and patient programs across Canada. Join a local walk, host your own fundraiser, or Make A Move your own way!

05/08/2026

We are pleased to introduce Dr. Danielle Rice as a speaker at the 2026 national scleroderma conference in Ottawa.

Dr. Rice is a Clinical & Health Psychologist working at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. She is an Assistant Professor at McMaster University. She is also the current chair of the Hamilton Scleroderma Group where she collaborates with people with lived experience, clinicians, and researchers to support integrated care and educational efforts for scleroderma. Her research has included understanding the challenges of caring for a loved one with scleroderma, with the ultimate goal of developing resources to decrease the burden that can be associated with caregiving.

04/30/2026

We are pleased to introduce Dr. Elizabeth Volkmann as a speaker at the 2026 national scleroderma conference in Ottawa.
Dr. Elizabeth Volkmann is an Associate Professor in the Division of Rheumatology at University of California, Los Angeles, where she serves as the Director of the UCLA Scleroderma Program and the founder and Co-Director of the UCLA Connective Tissue Disease-Related Interstitial Lung Disease (CTD-ILD) Program. Her research focuses on the discovery of novel biomarkers that predict response to ILD-targeted therapies. She also has an enduring interest in exploring how the gut microbiome contributes to the pathogenesis of ILD and systemic sclerosis. Dr. Volkmann practices Holistic medicine, an approach that addresses the whole person, including psychological, spiritual, ethical, familial and societal, as well as the biological dimensions of disease. Central to her healing philosophy is the recognition of the uniqueness of each patient and the fostering of equality in the doctor-patient partnership. She is also the proud founder of Women in Scleroderma (WINS), a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the careers of women scientists and clinicians working in this field.

04/29/2026

04/21/2026

We are pleased to introduced Dr. Nathan Hambly as a speaker at the 2026 national scleroderma conference in Ottawa.
Dr. Nathan Hambly earned his medical degree at the University of Ottawa (2009) and completed both Internal Medicine (2012) and Adult Respirology (2014) residencies at McMaster University. He is now an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at McMaster University. He is the Clinical Lead of the Firestone Institute Pulmonary Hypertension Program at St. Joseph’s Hospital and McMaster University and Program Director of both the ILD and PH Fellowship training programs. His clinical interests include pulmonary hypertension, interstitial lung disease, and sarcoidosis.