(Wilmington, Del., Sept 11, 2023) — M. Wade Shrader, MD, Orthopedic Surgeon, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware has been named President of the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM) at the 2023 Annual Meeting. A Mississippi native, Mississippi State alum, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine graduate, and former Chair of the AACPDM Scientific Program Committee, Dr. Shrader, returned to Chicago, Illinois to host this year’s annual meeting.
Shrader and his wife Carol became first-time parents to triplets during his tenure at the University of Chicago. Two of the triplets were diagnosed with cerebral palsy which helped guide his career decisions following medical school.
“I am honored to serve as President of AACPDM. I look forward to collaborating with the members of the Board to strengthen our commitment to this Academy and the common vision that we share. Returning to Chicago for the AACPDM’s annual meeting feels like a full circle for me,” Shrader said. “I started my trajectory working on cerebral palsy during my time at the University of Chicago and look forward to returning to show off the great city.”
Shrader is The Freeman Miller Endowed Chair of Cerebral Palsy at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, where he focuses his practice on the treatment of children with cerebral palsy and similar developmental disabilities. He is also the Medical Director for the Nemours Children’s Gait & Motion Analysis Laboratory, and a Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Pediatrics at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. His current research efforts are focused on pain control, hip conditions, gait disorders, and the family dynamics of children who live with special health care needs.
As the previous First Vice President serving from 2022 to 2023, Shrader oversaw the AACPDM Scientific Program Committee, which led the planning efforts for this year’s annual meeting. The event includes a dynamic, multi-disciplinary group of decision makers with an attendance of more than 1,200 professionals from more than 53 countries across North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.
“The AACPDM Annual Meeting provides a unique opportunity to bring together specialists and leaders in the field of childhood onset disability from around the world. I am thrilled to welcome them all to the beautiful city of Chicago, a place near to my heart,” said Shrader.
Shrader has been an active member of the AACPDM. He has served on the Advocacy Committee, Lifespan Committee (Chair), Scientific Program Committees (Co-Chair 2014), Nominating Committee, and the International Affairs Committee. Shrader and his wife, Carol, have four children: the triplets, Benjamin, Mason, and Claire, as well as their daughter Cate.
About AACPDM:
The American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM) is an Academy of over 1,100 health dedicated to advancing the health and well-being of all individuals with cerebral palsy and other childhood-onset disabilities. AACPDM is like no other professional society! The “teamwork” mindset of our members solidifies a worldwide network that provides the most effective outcomes for patients. We are pediatricians, neurologists, surgeons, physiatrists, therapists, nurses, special educators, engineers, and scientists.
The mission of the AACPDM is:
- Empowering and supporting a collaborative, multidisciplinary community that
- provides accessible and robust scientific education for health professionals and researchers
- fosters innovative research as well as its dissemination and implementation advocates for equitable access to evidence based and patient centered care
Learn more about our Academy by visiting www.aacpdm.org.
About Nemours Children’s Health
Nemours Children’s Health is one of the nation’s largest multistate pediatric health systems, which includes two free-standing children's hospitals and a network of more than 70 primary and specialty care practices. Nemours Children's seeks to transform the health of children by adopting a holistic health model that utilizes innovative, safe and high-quality care, while also caring for the health of the whole child beyond medicine. Nemours Children's also powers the world’s most-visited website for information on the health of children and teens, Nemours KidsHealth.org.
The Nemours Foundation, established through the legacy and philanthropy of Alfred I. duPont, provides pediatric clinical care, research, education, advocacy, and prevention programs to the children, families and communities it serves. For more information, visit Nemours.org.
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