Awareness Month Calendar

September is Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Month which is made even more significant by being marked with awareness days for several specific conditions. MDI is looking forward to sharing information and engaging with members and the online community throughout the month. This September, go green in support of raising awareness of Muscular Dystrophy!

Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Day is an annual collaborative effort to globally raise awareness of individuals living with limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD).

International Ataxia Awareness Day (IAAD) is on September 25th of each year. It is a coordinated effort from individuals and Ataxia organizations around the world to help shed light on this rare disease. NAF is committed to leading the way on this outreach effort – but we need your help! We encourage individuals and disease organizations to join us by planning events and/or awareness campaigns for IAAD. 

Myositis is an inflammatory autoimmune condition that can cause muscles to become weak and painful. Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are an umbrella term for the different types of myositis. These autoimmune conditions mean the body attacks its own muscles, connective tissue, blood vessels, skin, lungs, and other organs. This often occurs together with other symptoms, such as muscle swelling, pain, fatigue, difficulty moving limbs or lifting arms, increased falls, trouble swallowing, and others.

World Mitochondrial Disease Week raises awareness about mitochondrial diseases (mito). It aims to improve the lives of people affected by mito and to increase awareness among doctors and the general public.

The colour green has been chosen to represent International Myotonic Dystrophy Awareness Day which takes place on 15 September and many buildings throughout the world will be lit up green on the day!   As MDI’s News Update focused on Myotonic dystrophy last January, we are happy to provide an update on research developments since then.

On 7 September the World Duchenne Organisation will launch a documentary that portrays the lives of people living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy across the globe, it will share their journeys, challenges and successes, and captures the resilience and determination of the Duchenne community. People are encouraged to share it with their wider communities.

This campaign is calling on the Government to urgently double the number of conditions screened for in Ireland’s newborn bloodspot screening (NBS) programme also known as the ‘heel prick test’ to the European average of 18.

MDI is excited for Muscular Dystrophy Awareness month and looking forward to sharing many family stories, engaging with our members and the online community, and launching our ’30 Days of Strength’ campaign on social media #30daysOfStrength,”  This September go green in support of raising awareness for Muscular Dystrophy!