Hemispherectomy Foundation Australia ‘HEMICON’ family conferences
Filled with fun and meaningful connection, our biennial conferences—running since 2017—offer a unique opportunity for families to come together and share their hemispherectomy journey. These events provide a powerful space for peer support, where our families and their Hemi Heroes (children and young people who have undergone a hemispherectomy) form lifelong friendships and learn from others who truly understand their path. HemiCons are full of essential information for hemispherectomy families and remain the only dedicated family conference for hemispherectomy families across Australia and New Zealand.
HEMICON Australia 2025
Our most recent conference was held on 16-17 May 2025 at SeaWorld Resort on the fabulous Gold Coast. We welcomed back many HemiCon returning families and many new families eager to connect with others and learn from our range of specialist speakers on how to support the best possible outcomes for our hemispherectomy children, young people and their families. It was a wonderful event, with lots of fun for the kids while parents, carers and family members learnt about evidence-based.
The diverse and holistic program included presentations on:
- promoting positive behaviour in your hemispherectomy child
- making the most of your NDIS participation
- Psychosocial care for hemispherectomy families
- Medical trauma
- Supporting siblings
- And much more!
Some of the presentations from the conference are now available:
Supports that are not NDIS supports
Psychosocial Care of Hemispherectomy Families
Pyschosocial Care Resource List
Support us!
If you have a business, or know a business that may be interesting in sponsoring HemiCon please send them our HemiCon sponsorship pack. There are many, many benefits to being a sponsor, not least it being tax deductible! Check out all the sponsorship benefits and options here
HEMICON Australia, 2023
Adina Hotel, Darling Harbour, Sydney, NSW
HEMICON Australia, 2019
Melbourne Zoo, Melbourne, VIC Our 2019 conference was another great event for the Australian hemispherectomy community.
Despite enduring the hottest start to March in Melbourne for many years, our conference held over 1-2 March saw hemispherectomy families from throughout Australia come together as a community to enjoy time as a community and hear from a range of inspiring speakers. We are very grateful to the following presenters who came to share their expertise and provide such informative sessions.
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- Wirginia Maixner, Neurosurgeon and Director of Neurosurgery, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne
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- Cris, Kristi and Jessie Hall, Executive Directors of the Hemispherectomy Foundation United States
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- Neil Wimalasundera Consultant in Paediatric Rehabilitation Clinical Director Victorian Paediatric Rehabilitation Service, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne
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- Chris Innes-Wong, Physiotherapist, Women and Children’s Hospital, South Australia
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- Leo Gnavi, Paediatric Occupational Therapist Vision Australia
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- Deb Houston, Neuropsychologist, Victorian Paediatric Rehabilitation Service, Royal Children’s Hospital
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- Jenny Salgo, Community Educator Association for Children with a Disability
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- Dr Penny Analytis Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences Monash University
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- Dr Sarah Knight, Senior Research Officer, Developmental Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
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- Kathy Payne, Hemi Mum & Mental Health Social Worker
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- Anthony Fleming (hemi dad, IT professional and gadget man)
HEMICON Australia, 2017
Royal Pines Resort, Gold Coast, QLD The inaugural Hemispherectomy Foundation Australia Family Conference was held 10-11 March 2017 at the Royal Pines Resort, Gold Coast, Queensland.
The conference was a tremendous success with over 90 hemispherectomy family and friends attending to listen to a range of information sessions provided by medical and allied health professionals. Sessions on the National Disability Insurance Scheme and family resilience were also rated very highly by participants. Most importantly, the conference was an unprecedented opportunity for Australian hemispherectomy families to meet, share information and make bonds and friendships that we hope will continue for a very long time.
Please view this beautiful tribute to our gorgeous hemi children, siblings and families. Thank you to Karley Miller for the production.
Watch our 2017 Hemi Conference video here