NEC Family Summit
Presenting the world’s first in-person NEC Family Summit — a space for families affected by NEC to connect, learn, and accelerate our mission, together.
Cash
The World's First NEC Family Summit
We intimately understand how families are compelled to transform their pain into power and action to help improve outcomes for other babies. That’s why on September 1-4, 2026, we will host the world’s first in-person NEC Family Summit in Davis, California.
Applications for the NEC Family Summit are due May 22, 2026.
Why do we need a NEC Family Summit?
Families fuel our shared vision of a world without NEC. There is no one more invested in advancing NEC research, education, and advocacy than families who have been personally devastated by this disease. By bringing families together in person, we will build the relationships, trust, and strategies to propel our mission.
Empower
Empower families affected by NEC with the tools and skills needed to advocate for NICU babies and families at the local, state, and national levels.
Engage
Engage and expand family participation in NEC research and quality improvement initiatives.
Strengthen
Strengthen a collaborative network of family leaders equipped to build and disseminate urgently needed resources for the community to ensure all babies can thrive.
Families transforming their pain into power
Families are centered in everything we do. That’s why at the NEC Symposium, families collaborate with clinicians and scientists – because it is essential to integrate the lived expertise of families to better understand, prevent, diagnose, and treat NEC.
We launched the first NEC Symposium in 2017, and it is now the world’s largest, most impactful scientific meeting on NEC. We are building an equally powerful experience for families with the NEC Family Summit.
The NEC Family Summit is Presented By
“It’s so great to have a stage to tell my son’s story, and incredible to be around parents who have gone through what I went through—who understand my pain in a totally different way. And to meet parents who have been able to take their children home and watch them grow, to hear about the challenges and the successes of that. To have different perspectives together has been extremely inspiring.”
Nicola Juri, NEC Society Board Member and Mom of Ronan, who tragically passed away from NEC, speaking about the NEC Symposium
How to attend the NEC Family Summit
The NEC Society is eager to welcome as many families as possible to the NEC Family Summit in Davis, CA. We are dedicated to welcoming families from different experiences, backgrounds, and places. All families participating in the Summit will be offered a stipend from the NEC Society to help cover the costs.
Why an application process?
We are eager to welcome as many families as possible. Given limitations in funding and physical venue space, an application process helps ensure participants across geographic regions, lived experiences, and backgrounds can attend. Our goal is to create an inclusive and collaborative space where families engage, connect, and help lead the future of NEC research, education, and advocacy.
Support the NEC Family Summit
If you share our vision of a world without NEC, please consider supporting the NEC Family Summit.
Your support helps eliminate financial and geographical barriers that could prevent families from participating in this powerful experience.
“I had never met another family affected by NEC until I became part of the NEC Society. The NEC Symposium was so moving and powerful—to be not only with families who have also lost their children to NEC, but also with clinicians and scientists dedicating their careers to babies like mine. It will be incredible to build an equally transformative learning experience for families, where we can connect and collaborate with other families to advance the research, education, and advocacy this community urgently needs.”
Stephanie Ruidiaz, NEC Society Board Member and Mom of Luna, who tragically passed away from NEC
FAQs
What is the purpose of the NEC Family Summit?
The NEC Family Summit empowers families affected by NEC with the tools and skills to advocate for babies and families at the local, state, and national levels. The Summit will expand family engagement in NEC research and quality improvement initiatives. The Summit strengthens a collaborative network of family leaders dedicated to building and sharing essential resources so all babies can thrive.
Can I bring a guest, my spouse, or my child to the Summit?
We are eager to welcome as many families as possible across diverse backgrounds and experiences.
To maximize participation and accommodate as many families as we can, attendance is limited to one family member or guardian per family due to funding and space constraints.
Infants less than 12 months old, and teens who survived NEC who are now 16+ years old, are welcome to attend with a guardian.
Will travel stipends be available?
Yes, we are committed to providing travel stipends to help support families attending the Summit.
Are there pre requisites to attending the Summit?
Yes, there will be pre- and post-work for participants of the NEC Family Summit, including surveys and training modules.
What if my application is not selected for the Summit?
If your application is not selected for you to attend the Summit, please know the NEC Society still deeply values you, your story, and your experience. Due to limited capacity, we are unable to include every applicant.
Every applicant will be offered meaningful opportunities for families to get involved and engage deeply in our work.