Emily's Entourage (EE) värd för 5:e årliga cocktailmottagningen på NACFC 2022

Back in-person for the first time since 2019, the invite-only reception brought together members of the cystic fibrosis (CF) community to celebrate EE’s achievements to date, recognize and honor the outstanding scientific community, and reflect on EE’s mission

Emily’s Entourage (EE) hosted its 5th Annual, invitation-only cocktail reception at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference (NACFC) on November 4, 2022, at the Marriott Philadelphia Downtown in Philadelphia, Pa. EE’s Scientific Advisory Board Chair, Kevin Foskett, PhD, hosted the reception with EE’s Chief Scientific Officer, Chandra Ghose, PhD. EE’s Co-Founders Emily and Liza Kramer-Golinkoff participated virtually due to COVID-19 precautions given the advanced stages of Emily’s CF. Emily’s sister Julia, brother Coby and his fiancée Lexi, represented the Kramer-Golinkoff family at the event, along with the several members of the EE team. The event also included the presentation of the 2022 Trailblazer Award, EE’s award recognizing innovative changemakers in cystic fibrosis (CF) research and drug development.

NACFC, held annually by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, brings together scientists, clinicians, and caregivers from around the world to discuss the latest advances in CF research, care and drug development, and to exchange ideas about ways to improve the health and overall quality of life for people with CF.

The highest attendance to date, this year’s EE cocktail reception at NACFC convened almost 100 researchers, scientists, family members of people with CF, and representatives from pharmaceutical and biotech companies. The event celebrated EE’s achievements, recognized and honored the outstanding scientific community, and provided an ideal atmosphere for the exchange of ideas. There was a lively buzz in the room as attendees networked and reconnected – a testament to the group’s shared commitment to EE’s mission to accelerate breakthroughs and a cure for nonsense mutations of CF.  

 Liza and Emily welcome guests virtually at the EE NACFC reception.

The event began with opening remarks from Emily and Liza – their excitement and gratitude palpable through the projector screen! As the program continued, EE’s Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Chandra Ghose, presented Dr. Jennifer Taylor-Cousar, MD, MSCS, ATSF, a pediatric and adult pulmonologist at National Jewish Health and member of EE’s Scientific Advisory Board, with EE’s 2022 Trailblazer Award. The award is given to an individual or organization that has partnered with EE and demonstrated courage, tenacity, and out-of-the-box creativity to push conventional boundaries and propel lifesaving research advances for people with CF. Past recipients of the award include Dr. Kevin Fostkett, the Isaac Ott Professor of Physiology and Chair of the Department of Physiology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and Dr. Paul Negulescu, Vertex’s Senior Vice President of Research.

 EE’s Chief Scientific Officer Chandra Ghose with Dr. Jennifer Taylor-Cousar, recipient of the 2022 Trailblazer Award.

"Jennifer är en medkännande läkare, en lysande utredare, en mycket välpublicerad författare och en stark förespråkare för CF-communityn", säger Emily Kramer-Golinkoff, medgrundare av Emily's Entourage. "Jag står i evig vördnad inför den obeskrivliga inverkan hon har på livet för så många människor med CF varje dag, inklusive mitt eget. Det var en ära att få överlämna årets Trailblazer Award till henne."

The meaningful location of this year’s event, EE’s hometown of Philadelphia. was highlighted with Philadelphia-themed appetizers (cheesesteaks from Campos and tastykakes) and facts around the venue.

EE is grateful that this reception could be part of the overall landscape of NACFC – several days filled with important, informative and inspiring sessions and events focused on driving critical research and drug development for the CF community. Having such passionate, smart, capable, and deeply committed people in attendance, choosing to devote their time and energy to the “final 10%” of the CF community that does not benefit from existing CFTR modulators gave the entire EE team immeasurable hope. EE sincerely hopes and believes that the connections sparked and conversations begun at the NACFC reception will lead to further therapeutic development for the final 10% of people with CF, and we stand ready to help however we can. 

Emily’s Entourage would also like to sincerely thank the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for the opportunity to host the reception at NACFC.

"We hope you left the reception feeling energized to think outside of the box and work with unparalleled speed and focus until we have lifesaving breakthroughs for every single person with CF, nobody left behind.”

– Emily Kramer-Golinkoff, co-founder of Emily’s Entourage