May 12th (2013): It’s not just Mother’s Day.

May 12th!★

http://www.may12th.org

Awareness is critical in making a difference for causes which are lacking support, public understanding and research.  The article in the link below explains why the grass-roots actions of people like us can turn the tides for people who are dealing with illnesses like ME/CFS and other Neuro-Immune Diseases (NID’s).

May 12th has been an International Day for Awareness for Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases (CIND).  The diseases/disorders which fall within the umbrella of CIND include Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), Fibromyalgia (FM), Gulf War Syndrome (GWS), Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) and some Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

This awareness day originated in 1992 (it’s also sometimes called World ME Day &/or Int’l Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, and other variations).  I’ve only become aware of the event, myself, in the past few years, even though it’s existed for over two decades (think maybe it needs more help letting people know about it?!).

Please visit the links at the top of this post and below (& pass them on &/or share this post) to learn more and find out about other easy things you can do to make a big difference for the people who have these illnesses: http://ow.ly/1W5LMQ

You can also follow May 12th – International ME/CFS & FM Awareness Day, on Facebook http://ow.ly/1W5Mfd …and @May12th, on Twitter.

Thanks!

P.S.  Since Mother’s Day (in the USA and some other countries) and Int’l Awareness Day are coinciding, this year, my thoughts go out to the mom’s who have one of those things …as well as to the women who have it who may have had to give up their dreams of motherhood due to illness, and the moms who are caring for children who have a neuron immune disease like ME/CFS.  I remember reading several posts/news-articles about moms who’ve been by the bedsides of some of the most seriously-afflicted/sometimes bedridden children (some of whom died).  One mom lost her daughter after being told there was nothing physically/medically wrong with her (only to find out, after her autopsy, about the massive infection involving her basal ganglia, if I recall correctly); and another mom’s teen son died of heart issues of some sort.  Other mom’s have been unable to be the mother’s they want to be to their children because they’re either in bed or on the sofa the majority of the time after pushing themselves through the fatigue and other symptoms to do small “normal” things for just a few minutes/hours or days.  I’ve gotten to know several, on & offline, and it’s heartwrenching what many have been through: One mom I just recently ran across had escaped an abusive marriage (when both she and her daughter had been beaten up), only to have to resort to living with relatives who are emotionally/verbally abusive, living well below the poverty-line on Social Security, continually running out of food and not being able to eat what’s available at the food banks (and having all of those huge additional stressors make her illness worsen, in turn). She’s now also has cancer, and is dealing with all of the additional symptoms and challenges which come with that.  Another article I recently read spoke of the struggles of parents with ME/CFS who are in the position of having to also help care for their own parents or spouses ‘though only functional, themselves,  for maybe 2-4 hours per day, to varying degrees, and really in need of caregivers of their own.  Thoughts continue to go out—today and every day—to all those who are dealing with these and so many other illness and disability issues. But especially, today, much love goes out to the moms and would-be mothers-at-heart who have ME/CFS and other CIND’s/NID’s.

Note:  Portions of this post &/or the link above are also available on Facebook and Twitter, for your awareness-spreading convenience:

https://m.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=542688932444261&id=450181721694983

Global Asbestos Awareness Week (GAAW)

1-7 April 2013 is Global Asbestos Awareness Week!

This past week I was searching through some “Awareness Week” tweets (I think I was looking for Tsunami Week and whatever-else-I-may-have-missed), and I ran across a string of tweets by @Linda_ADAO about “Global Asbestos Awareness Week.” I fav’d one to read later, and moved on.  I have to admit, I first wondered whether it was more of a promo-week thing from some mesothelioma lawyers; but then Linda (@Linda_ADAO) replied about my fav, and I found out that she’s a passionate advocate for asbestos awareness who co-founded the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization after living through being affected by it in her own family (Linda’s husband was diagnosed with it in 2003, and died in 2006).  It looks like an awesome organization, which “was founded in 2004 to give asbestos victims and concerned citizens a united voice, to raise public awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure and to work towards a global asbestos ban” (read more, here: http://bit.ly/ADAOabout).

Mondays are also #EcoMonday hashtag-days, on Twitter: A day when people highlight ‘green’ things and organizations which help address environmental concerns.  The start of Global Asbestos Awareness Week falls on Monday, and it’s a HUGE environmental, health and safety issue!  I was stunned to learn that asbestos has NOT yet been banned, in the USA or Canada (‘though 55 other countries have).  I’d known about it being-removed from places, so that fact just doesn’t make sense.  To top that off, the US is actually IMPORTING hundreds of metric tons of the stuff every year!  I’d love to be able to say “April Fool’s” after that, but no dice: Those are the real FACTS! So we need to get the awareness for it going… especially because there are 107,000 people dying from asbestos-related diseases EVERY YEAR; and the asbestos particles can lurk in our bodies for 10-50 years before developing into a disease …but people only live an average of 6-12 months, after being diagnosed (more facts: http://bit.ly/AsbestosFacts).  If that weren’t bad enough, disasters like Hurricane Sandy can unleash those micro-fine fibers all over the place, and there is NO level of asbestos exposure that is known to be safe.

Back to the Awareness Week: They have a schedule of daily events for the it (which will open and close with Candlelight Vigils [you can also light a virtual candle here: http://bit.ly/ADAOcandle%5D); and your help in spreading the word about it-all, in whatever way you can, will make a really big difference!

Here’s the main link: http://bit.ly/GAAW2013

The 2013 slogan is “Asbestos: One Word. One World. One Week.”

Here’s the video, to share, for it (http://bit.ly/AsbestosKills):

“Asbestos Kills” Global Asbestos Awareness Week Video (via ADAO)

 

There’s a great blog-post about the week, by Courtney Segman, whose father was diagnosed with mesothelioma: He was told he’d had the particles in his body for 25 years, and now had just 1 month to live (but hung on for 7 years, fighting the cancer).  It’s a really informative post: http://bit.ly/AsbestosKILLS

 

I also posted about the week on the Care-Aware Calendar Facebook page (http://bit.ly/GAAWfbCAC); and the ADAO’s Facebook-page GAAW post can be found here: http://bit.ly/GAAWwhosIn (be sure to “Like” them, too, if you can).  Also please “Like” the Global Ban Asbestos Network (GBAN) page on Facebook, here: http://bit.ly/GBANfb

 

Note: Global Asbestos Awareness Week is also National Asbestos Awareness Week (by U.S. Senate resolution): http://bit.ly/NAAW2013

Thanks for helping to get the word out, on this, I’m sure everyone will appreciate it!

 

By the way, this 1st week of April is also National Public Health Week, and the focus is on safety.   The themes for the 1st 3 days are about safety in the home, school and workplace — all places where asbestos could be an issue (you can download/share a free 1-page flyer from ADAO about how to identify asbestos in your home, here: http://bit.ly/IDAsbestosInYourHome).  Go to www.nphw.org to learn more.  You can also join their Twitter chat on April 3rd, from 2-3pm EST (follow @PublicHealth …the hashtag is #NPHWChat): http://twtvite.com/NPHWchat.

For more events happening in the 1st few days of April, see the earlier Care-Aware post: http://bit.ly/MarchOut13

March is Marching Out (March Links and Early-April Highlights)

A quick wrap-up for March (for those who might land here next year, looking for links), with a wee heads-up for 1st-week-of-April events, as well: 

 

You can find the bulk of the links from previous Month of March (…& its’ Weeks/Days) posts here:

https://careaware.wordpress.com/2012/03/

 

Check here for a couple more items: https://careaware.wordpress.com/2010/03/

 

Don’t forget: World Autism Awareness Day is coming up quick, on April 2nd(http://www.lightitupblue.org) and Int’l Children’s Book Day is also that day. National Day of Hope is April 3rd (it’s for child abuse awareness http://bit.ly/11afUbW: April is Nat’l Child Abuse Prevention Month). World Health Day is April 7th. Tomorrow (April 1) is the start of both National Public Health Week (www.nphw.org) and another event I just became aware of, Global Asbestos Awareness Week (www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org). Please check out their daily schedules for things you can share to spread awareness. April 1-7 is also Medication Safety Week (http://bit.ly/11acmGw) and Testicular Cancer Awareness Week (http://bit.ly/11acSo4). 

The White House will be having their Easter Egg Roll on April 1st, this year–which is also Easter Monday–and Kid President (the dynamic dancer and wise mini-self-appointed-psuedo-president: www.kidpresident.com) will be there along with tons of celebs and sports people and such. As you probably are well aware, the 1st Lady’s “Let’s Move!” program (www.letsmove.gov) is featured with the White House Easter Egg Rolls (and Monday is @MoveItMonday, on Twitter: Hashtag #MoveItMonday). You can watch the event online at http://WH.gov/Live.

 

There’s a BUNCH more, but I just wanted to give you a few quick highlights on the 1st few days, to get you started.

Thanks for continuing to help spread awareness: You’re like the green in Spring!

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International Women’s Day 2013

The 2013 theme for International Women’s Day is “”THE GENDER AGENDA: GAINING MOMENTUM –
A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women.” 

More info and links are available on the Care-Aware Calendar Facebook Page (click on the IWD title-link, above).

Rare Disease Day, Feb. 28, 2013 Official Video

World Rare Disease Day has gone claymation, this year!

Please watch & share this year’s awesome video, to show YOUR solidarity with the millions of kids, adults and families affected by rare diseases and disorders!

More about International World Rare Disease Day 2013, and the “Rare Disorders without Borders” theme: http://bit.ly/Z1I2uB …and at the website: http://www.rarediseaseday.org

♥ February Flurries of Awareness ❆

Right now some big portions of the U.S. are experiencing various storms: swaths of snow (including in the deserts of AZ, where they rarely have freezing temps, much less white-stuff); regions of rain &/or freezing rain, and I heard predictions of possible tornadoes, in some areas …&/or a nor’easter, elsewhere.   Meanwhile, it’s Severe Weather Awareness Week in Tennessee and Alabama.

February’s awareness topics have begun to stir up a flurry, too; and that’s the sort of storm that’s welcome!

Congenital Heart Defects Awareness Week & Day (7-14 & 14th, respectively) are picking up speed. Hopefully, more people signed up as donors on National Donor Day, too.  I learned that a really large percentage of those who are waiting for organs need kidneys …which is one thing you can actually donate live (since we can live with just 1). There have even been chains of donors who don’t match their loved-one’s type (who needs 1), but matches someone else’s loved-one’s type, so they do a round-about re-gifting. Rather awesome. Even the little-known International Childhood Cancer Awareness Day (15 Feb) seemed to have piqued more interest, this year (thank goodness).  I’ve noticed National Organizations (including Alex’s Lemonade: here) posting about the global impact of childhood cancer , as well, which is really heartening to see.  And speaking of heartening things, Heart Month — although always quite well-known — appears to be finally breaking through the awareness glass-ceiling of sorts in making women aware of the fact that heart attacks aren’t just a guy thing: Heart disease is, in fact, the No. 1 killer of women, and the symptoms of a heart attack can differ, for us.

While we’re on the topic of women, tho, Valentine’s Day got a global boost in its’ V-Day campaign, which is an effort to end violence against women and girls, worldwide.  There was dancing in the streets and flash-mobs  with the #1billionrising campaign, begun by Eve Ensler (of ‘The Vagina Monologues’). Support for the campaign rose up from celebrities, news stations, governments, workplaces, schools and citizens all over the world.  Inspiring! You can catch up via the V-Day YouTube Channel.

As another song-of-hope (some tweeting of the natural sort) showing what a bunch of individuals can do in concert with each other, The Great Backyard Bird Count took place this past weekend, and at least 25,474,173 individual birds were counted on nearly 120,000 checklists.  What else can we do, when we make other global group volunteer efforts?!

But back to Heart Month and V-Day.  I wanted to make sure you were aware of 2 important chats happening today (on Twitter &/or online):

♥ ☛ As part of American Heart Month, the American Heart Association is holding a Google Hangout/Twitter chat today at 12:30 CST (1:30pm ET, 11:10am MT, 10:30am PT…): “Know Your Numbers and Life’s Simple 7.” On Twitter, follow @American_Heart + @BaylorHealth & @DailyRX, and use the #HeartChat hashtag.  If your working, no worries: I saw a mention by the Assn saying they planned to post it on their YouTube channel, afterwards.

★☛ Then there’s a HUGE, ALL-DAY (8am-5pm ET) online chat/webcast on domestic violence, today, which is being sponsored by Verizon Wireless, and will involve over 300 domestic violence organizations! Follow the #DVPsummit hashtag and @VZWnews on Twitter, and go to the “DVP Summit: A Day to Connect, Inspire and Heal” page, online. There will be discussions about community/healthcare support, PTSD, how boys & men can be part of the solution, social media awareness and mobile giving + more (check out the schedule on the link above)!  Should be excellent.  DO jump in on whatever parts you’re able! Hopefully they’ll archive it, too, somehow …for everyone who’s working/in-school, etc.

We’ve still got about a week’s worth of February left, which means that World Rare Disease  Day is on its’ way in about a week (a bit less, really, since the time zones on the other side of the globe begin quite a bit earlier than here).  Your help in spreading awareness for this is super-appreciated, as they affect 10% of Americans (yep, 1-in-10 people in the U.S. has something that’s classified as a rare disease/disorder …which just means it affects <200,000 people [here ...in Europe, they really mean rare: it's 1-in-2,000, there]). YOU might have 1, too (and just not know that it falls into that category, technically)!

I hadn’t gotten around to re-posting February links or an updated Month-of post (but I figured you could either find the links on the home page here, search, or perhaps you’re following on Twitter (& maybe even reading my Facebook-post links?).  But, here’s a few for you, from the Care-Aware blog, just in case you haven’t already gotten around to all-that:

MONTH of FEBRUARY Awareness Events

Note: Just found out it’s also Cholangiocarcinoma Awareness Month/CC Month (Bile Duct Cancer Awareness Month!

Assorted February Awareness Posts from 2010

Assorted February Awareness Posts from 2009

There’s always much more to say (& DO!). For now, “Have a good day (and rest-of-the-week/month), Everyone!” Thanks for helping to spread awareness for the various causes! Love you all. <3

January Links and NEW Awareness Campaign

Looking for January’s observances and events?

Here’s the Month of January Awareness Events post.

A list with links to more Care-Aware posts for month of January Day/Week/Month observances is available here (click on “Newer Posts” at the bottom for additional pages).

NEW THIS YEAR: Have you heard about the Truth 365 film and social media campaign to help spread awareness about childhood cancer? It’s for all of us, all year! Go here  (www.thetruth365.org) to discover simple minute “missions” that’ll make a difference!

All the best to you all, in 2013!

Related articles

• January’s Monthly and Weekly Notable Celebrations. (babyboomersandmore.com)