We are very excited to celebrate our 20th Anniversary Conference with you. Join us for this long weekend of support, education, and community in Grapevine, TX near Dallas/Ft. Worth. We are adding several new offerings this year so please read on for full details.
Scroll down for more information including the course overview, registration, hotel details, and the conference agenda.
For 19 years, our conference has offered incredible opportunities to meet other clusterheads and to learn from experts about how to manage this challenging condition. We hope you will join our family.
The conference will begin on Thursday afternoon with small group discussions. Join us in the evening for the Director's Reception, Registration, and more small groups to help you get oriented and meet other attendees.
Friday and Saturday will be full days of educational and support-focused presentations. Many presentations will be eligible for CME credit.
Sunday morning will include social gatherings.
Your hotel stay includes daily breakfast and a happy hour each evening.
Lunch will be provided by Clusterbusters on Friday.
On Saturday evening, friends old and new are cordially invited to join for dinner and our award ceremony. This event will be Roaring 20s-themed, so be prepared to show up in your spiffiest attire (not required).
We want participants to be fully aware that in the sessions and social settings during this conference, difficult topics such as suicidal ideation, anger, trauma, and self-harm are sometimes discussed by participants and speakers. This conference is intended to be a safe space where such topics can be discussed openly as they are common themes among clusterheads and their caregivers. We believe it is important to maintain this open dialogue as it is part of creating a community where everyone feels understood and nobody has to explain themselves.
Agenda (Note changes may be made)
Thursday, September 11
3:00 pm - 3:45 pm Mr. Bill Mingus Oxygen Demonstration
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm Registration
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm Director's Reception
7:15 pm - 8:30 pm Ms. Anna Williams Introduction Support Session
7:15 pm - 8:30 pm Mr. Joe McKay Introduction Support Session
7:15 pm - 8:30 pm Mr. Joe Stone Introduction Support Session
Friday, September 12
6:30 am - 9:30 am Breakfast
8:00 am - 9:00 am Registration Opens
9:00 am - 9:15 am Mrs. Ainslie Course Welcome and Announcements
9:15 am - 9:45am Mrs. Ainslie Course & Steve Keschinger Introductions
9:45 am - 10:30 am Dr. Michael Oshinsky, Ph.D. NIH/NINDS & Research
10:30 am - 10:45 am Break
10:45am - 11:05 am Mr. Mitchell & Mrs. Bandera Patient Perspectives
11:05 am - 11:20 pm Mr. Bob Wold Clusterbusters Updates
11:20 pm - 11:50 pm Rev. Dr. Tammy Isaac, CAGCS, BCCC The Grief Within the Ache: Pain Led, Grief Followed
11:50 pm - 12:30 pm Dr. Brian McGeeney, MD, MPH, MBA Patient Experience with Treatments
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Lunch - Provided
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Mr. Craig Stewart D3 & Nutrition
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Dr. Stephanie Nahas, MD, MSEd Treating Cluster in a Migraine World
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Moderated By Dr. Brian McGeeney, MD, MPH, MBAQ&A
3:00 pm - 3:15 pm Break
3:15 pm - 4:15 pm Clusterbusters Board & Mr. Bob Wold Clusterbusters Board Updates/ DIY Medicine & Accessibility & Myths
4:15 pm - 4:45 pm Dr. Shuhan Zhu, MD Challenges in Diagnosis of Cluster Headache
4:45 pm - 5:00pm Mrs. Ainslie Course Q&A
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Happy Hour - Hotel Provided
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Ms. Anna Williams, Mr. Joe Mckay, Mr. Joe Stone Safe Room Sessions
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Mrs. Julia Gibson & Mr. Peter Course Safe Room Sessions - Care Partner
Saturday, September 13
7:00 am - 10:30 am Breakfast
8:30 am - 9:00 am Registration
9:00 am - 9:15 am Mrs. Ainslie Course Announcements
9:15 am - 9:45 am Dr.. Christopher Gottschalk, MD, FAHS Why Do Meds Stop Working?
9:45 am - 10:05 am Ms. Anna Kim Caregiver Perspective
10:05 am - 10:30 am Dr. Emmanuelle Schindler, MD, PhD, FAHS DMT Survey
10:30 am - 10:45 am Mrs. Ainslie Course Q&A
10:45 am - 11:10 am Break
11:10 am - 11:30 am Patient Perspective
11:30 pm - 12:00 pm Adam Kaney & Kevin Lenaburg CH Medication & Psychedelic Use Survey Results
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm Lunch on your own
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Dr. Vera Gibb DNP, APRN, FNP-C, AQH Pediatric Cluster Headache Overview
2:00pm - 2:30 pm DR. Mariana Ciobanu, MD Pediatric Cluster Headache: A Case Study
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Dr. Brian McGeeney, MD, MPH, MBA & Mr. Dr. Christopher Gottschalk, MD, FAHS & DR. Stephanie Nahas, MD Ask the Neurologist
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm Break & Group Photo
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Dr. Steven D Bender, DDS When Teeth Hurt- Headache or Orofacial Pain
4:00 pm - 4:45 pm Moderated by DR. Brian McGeeney, MD, MPH, MBA & Clusterbusters Board Q&A
4:45 pm - 5:00 pm Mrs. Ainslie Course Announcements
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Hotel Happy Hour
6:00pm -9:00 pm Dinner, Reception, Awards, Auction/Raffles
Sunday
Breakfast and travel home
ClusterBuddies is a one-on-one, peer-to-peer support program. Clusterbusters has learned that one of our community's greatest resources is connecting to others who also experience cluster headaches. Since this is your first conference, we invite you to join the free ClusterBuddies program. This will give you a buddy to get to know prior to attending. We will do our best to pair you with someone who is planning to attend as well.
Support Givers are not medical professionals or mental health experts. Support Givers can share their own experiences with cluster headache and lessons that Clusterbusters has figured out over 20+ years of patient support. This program is not a substitute for medical care. We always strongly recommend seeking medical advice before making any changes to your treatment plan.
Are you concerned about traveling with cluster headache?
Check out our Webinar to learn how well-traveled clusterheads manage their disease while on the road.
Oxygen will be available at the conference. You can check out a tank for use in your hotel room, and there will also be oxygen close to the ballroom space in case you have an attack during the meetings. Please bring your regulator, wrench, and mask. We will not be able to supply these items.
Check this space for:
CME Information
Conference Syllabus
Slide Decks
These items will be uploaded as they become available.
Limited travel scholarships are available for those who could not otherwise afford to attend. These funds are not intended to fully fund anyone's travel, but are intended to supplement those with limited means. Please ask for only what you need. We will always try to help as many people as possible. Scholarships will be awarded on a rolling basis.
Embassy Suites by Hilton Grapevine DFW Airport North
2401 Bass Pro Drive
Grapevine, TX 76051
(972) 724-2600
Book your hotel room today to receive the discounted rate of $169/night.
Room Block Closes on Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at 11:59pm CT.
Hotel Details
Please review ticket options and descriptions carefully before selecting.
Single Attendee: $150
One Guest of Attendee (add-on): $125
Two Guests of Attendee (add-on): $200 - One ticket is valid for two guests
Three Guests of Attendee (add-on): $200 - One ticket is valid for three guests
Please only choose the ticket(s) that is/are appropriate for your needs. Consider the total attendees in your party and which option(s) will be best for your group.
"This Is The Place"
