Join Us in Raising Awareness for These Causes in June  

By Theo Smith, Associate, Marketing and Communications

Patient advocacy organizations work tirelessly to educate, promote, advocate, and raise awareness and funding for their causes. Especially during this challenging time, awareness events give us the opportunity to rally around a common objective and show these organizations how much we appreciate their work. Here’s how you can help advance these groups’ missions and spread awareness.

Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

June is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. There are 50 million people worldwide living with Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disease and the most common form of dementia. The Alzheimer’s Association is going purple for the month of June to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s and other dementias. The Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s research, care, and support. The Alzheimer’s Association leads the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementias through funding global research, driving risk reduction and early detection programs, and maximizing quality care and support.

Ways to get involved:

• Change your Facebook profile picture purple to raise awareness this month.
• Wear purple all month.
• Help make Alzheimer’s a national priority. Become an advocate.

Cataract Awareness Month

Every June is Cataract Awareness Month. Cataract is the world’s leading cause of blindness, accounting for approximately 42 percent of all cases of blindness in the U.S. There are more than 25 million Americans living with cataract. Prevent Blindness is the leading volunteer eye health and safety organization that fights to make sure that everyone has the chance to enjoy a lifetime of healthy vision. Prevent Blindness provides people with resources, information, technical assistance, influences public policy, and helps shape the public health care system.

Ways to get involved:

• Post on social media to raise awareness.
• Be an advocate for vision.
• Learn more about cataract and eye diseases.

Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month

This month is Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month. Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disorder that is characterized by fluctuating weakness of the voluntary muscle groups. The Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) is committed to finding a cure for myasthenia gravis and closely related disorders; improving treatment options; and providing information and support to people with myasthenia gravis through research, education, community programs, and advocacy. The Foundation is the only national organization solely dedicated to fighting this disease and works to raise awareness, renew hope, and connect myasthenia gravis communities.

Ways to get involved: 

• Join the movement on social media.
• Wear teal to raise awareness.
• Walk for a world without MG.

Men’s Health Month 

June is Men’s Health Month. The purpose of Men’s Health Month is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. This month gives health care providers, public policy makers, the media, and individuals an opportunity to encourage men and boys to seek regular medical advice and early treatment for disease and injury. The Men’s Health Network is a national non-profit organization with the mission of raising awareness about men’s health and promoting disease prevention in men and boys.

Ways to get involved: 

• Wear blue this month.
• Help raise awareness by posting on social media.
• Visit the men’s health resource center.

Awareness Days: 

• National Cancer Survivors Day (June 7)
• Family Health and Fitness Day (June 13)
• National Nurses Assistant Day (June 18)
• World Sickle Cell Day (June 19)
• PTSD Awareness Day (June 27)