We continue to refine and adjust the agenda to include more time to socialize, adding focused breakouts, and replacing boring one-way lectures with roundtable discussions & panels!

You can view last year’s  agenda here.  The 2024 agenda is coming soon. Presenters will be added as they are confirmed and the 2024 agenda may differ slightly. The conference format is very interactive and may include some remote video connections.

We will be providing an experienced volunteer staffed respite room for those affected with MLD so you can enjoy the presentations or if your loved one needs time to rest or simply wants to have a better time with DVDs, art and other activities. They will be in a room near our meeting room for easy access and your peace of mind. You will be responsible for all medications, feeding, and toileting.

Children and youth must be supervised while at the hotel – either sitting with you in the meeting, supervised by an adult in your room, or participating in our children and/or youth programs. They cannot roam the hotel or swim unsupervised. You are responsible for your children and teens.

We will again have a structured children’s program for all children – both healthy and affected. We have experienced leaders planning two full days of games, art, music and other activities to help the kids enjoy their time, too.

If you express interest and there are enough youth registered, we will try to put together a separate youth program (ages 11 and up).

Our host hotel is the Marriott Kansas City Airport, a hotel located in Kansas City, MO near the Kansas City airport.

775 Brasilia Ave,
Kansas City, MO, USA, 64153

… click for map to the hotel

+1 816-464-2200

Check In: 3pm, Check Out: 12pm

The hotel has King and Double Queen rooms with tubs and connecting rooms. Please specify on registration if a tub, connecting room or accessible room is needed.

Hotel parking is included with registration.

PLEASE NOTE – DO NOT contact the hotel directly for reservations or special requests, all reservations and requests must be handled directly by MLD Foundation.

The Marriott Kansas City Airport is located at near the Kansas City Airport. The rooms are well-appointed to ensure a comfortable stay with plush beds, complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi and HD SMART TVs, tasteful decor, a peaceful atmosphere, and superior service.

Their pool is inside to maintain comfort. 

[read more and see photos on the hotel web site …].

We strongly encourage all families, even local families, to stay at the conference hotel. A key aspect of the MLD Family Conference is the casual atmosphere and ability to mingle with other families. Our hotel rooms are underwritten by grants and donations to keep the cost to a minimum.

The conference room rate  has been extended 3 days before and 3 days after the conference if you wish to stay in the area for any extra time. Parking is extra.

Your registration includes continental breakfast, lunch & dinner on Friday, … and breakfast, lunch & dinner Saturday.

Please specify special dietary needs when you register (gluten free, diabetic, vegetarian), and whether child, adult, or no meals are needed.

We try to keep the meals & breaks light and reasonably healthy.

Conference attire is casual. However, while it may be warm and humid outside, hotel meeting rooms can often be cool so please consider a light sweater for the meeting rooms.

Average June highs in Kansas City are 88 with average lows of 66 and occasional thunderstorms.

Parking is included in registration for those driving.

If you are flying you will be responsible for transportation costs from your home city to Kansas City.

The hotel offers a free airport shuttle on a regular schedule. Their van is not handicap accessible and is not ideal for families with larger stroller and medical supplies. We will have a mini-van on standby to help you get from and back to the airport terminal.

Zona Rosa Town Center and the St. Joseph Medical Center as well as the KCI Expo Center are nearby.

Note: EARLYBIRD BONUS – Register by May 19th and GET THURSDAY NIGHT FREE! Earlybird Registration closes Sunday May 19th.

Also note … Your hotel room is included in the costs below – unlike most other rare disease conferences where you have to book and pay for your room separately! 😉

Prices are kept as low as possible through grants from our partners!  The conference is not a fundraiser for MLD Foundation. 

Limited Scholarships are available – see the tab below this one.

Please note that you will be responsible for your own travel arrangements and costs from your home town to Kansas City.

The MLD Family Conference is not a fund-raiser for MLD Foundation – and you are only paying for a small portion of the direct costs. Limited  conference registration scholarships will be available for those needing financial assistance. Please go ahead and register. Enter your confidential scholarship request on the bottom of the registration payment page.

We want everyone that wants to attend to be able to. If you need assistance with registration or being able to attend please let us know. We will confidentially try to help as best we can. Limited scholarships are available
Please go ahead and register. Enter your confidential scholarship request on the bottom of the registration payment page.

We recognize that life with MLD brings surprises on a schedule you can’t always control. However, we have to make firm financial commitments to the hotel for rooms and meals well in advance of the actual conference. Generally, we cannot accept cancellations, however, if you need to cancel please let us know as soon as possible so we can work with you to try an accommodate a refund. We will do our best but the exact refund amount will depend on our hotel contract obligations at the time of the cancellation.