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FrancaisBuilding Bridges Learning Network
A year-round national learning and engagement network for PKU and allied disorders
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Welcome | What it is | How it works | Shared topics | Monthly focus areas | Ways to participate | Stay informed | Partners and speakers | FAQ | Upcoming programming
Welcome
Building Bridges is being reimagined as the Building Bridges Learning Network, a year-round national learning and engagement initiative for individuals and families affected by phenylketonuria (PKU), homocystinuria (HCU), maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), urea cycle disorders (UCDs), and related inherited metabolic disorders.
Rather than centering all education, connection, and collaboration around a single annual event, the Building Bridges Learning Network will create ongoing opportunities to learn, share, connect, and build resources throughout the year.
What is the Building Bridges Learning Network?
The Building Bridges Learning Network is a flexible national platform for education, community engagement, advocacy, research awareness, and collaboration. It is designed to support families, adults, caregivers, youth, healthcare professionals, researchers, industry partners, and community leaders across Canada.
The network is guided by the CanPKU+ CARES framework: Community, Advocacy, Research, Education, and Support & Sustain.
How the Network Works
Each season will include a primary disease-area focus. This helps CanPKU+ create more intentional programming, gather community input, identify education needs, and build disorder-specific resources over time.
Common threads that span all rare disease communities may happen at any time during the year. Only disease-specific programming is organized by the seasonal focus schedule.
Programming may include webinars, clinical presentations, panel discussions, community conversations, research and registry updates, advocacy and awareness initiatives, resource development, hands-on workshops, virtual gatherings, in-person opportunities, and partner-led sessions.
Seasonal Disease-Area Focus
The seasonal focus areas help guide disease-specific engagement and resource development.
| Months | Disease-area focus |
|---|---|
| January, February, March | Homocystinuria (HCU) |
| April, May, June | Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD) |
| July, August, September | Phenylketonuria (PKU) |
| October, November, December | Urea Cycle Disorders (UCDs) |
Ways to Participate
There will be many ways to participate in the Building Bridges Learning Network, depending on your interests, experience, and availability.
- Attend educational sessions and community conversations
- Share lived experience as a family member, adult, youth, or caregiver
- Suggest topics or speakers
- Participate in panels or workshops
- Help identify resource gaps
- Support research, registry, and advocacy awareness
- Collaborate as a healthcare professional, researcher, partner, or sponsor
Stay Informed
The Building Bridges Learning Network program framework will continue to evolve. Additional sessions, workshops, speakers, and engagement opportunities will be added throughout the year.
Stay tuned for more information and upcoming program announcements.
- Sign in to your CanPKU+ website account and update your interests under Manage My Profile. This helps show us what topics you want to receive emails about, including your rare disease community and CARES pillar interests.
- Check back on this page. We will update the schedule here as programming is confirmed.
- Keep an eye on our social media channels for announcements and reminders.
- Members and Health Care Professionals may have specific sessions where ONLY they are invited to attend. Please log into your HUB to see if any of these are scheduled.
Partner, Speaker, and Sponsor Opportunities
CanPKU+ welcomes collaboration with community members, clinicians, researchers, allied health professionals, industry partners, and organizations that support inherited metabolic disorder communities.
Opportunities may include educational presentations, panel discussions, resource development, research and registry updates, sponsorship, hands-on workshops, and other collaborative initiatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Building Bridges still a conference?
Building Bridges is being reimagined as a year-round learning network. We have not given up on in-person opportunities. We are reviewing what is sustainable and what best serves the community across our vast nation. In-person or conference-style events may still be part of future programming.
If I have a rare disease, will I only have programming during my disease-area season?
No. The seasonal focus schedule helps guide disease-specific programming and resource development. Shared topics that span rare disease communities may happen at any time during the year.
How do I receive updates?
Sign in to your CanPKU+ website account and update your interests under Manage My Profile. You can also check this page for schedule updates, watch CanPKU+ social media channels, and, if you are a member or healthcare professional, log into your access level Hub for your tailored content.
Upcoming Programming
Upcoming Building Bridges Learning Network sessions and opportunities will be shared as details are confirmed. Please check back regularly and update your profile interests to receive relevant announcements.