List of International and Country Specific Observance Dates (Health, Medical and Disability Related) |
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Awareness Dates for January |
January is Awareness Month For: |
- Alzheimer's - (Canada - Alzheimer Society)
- Celebration of Life Month
- Co-dependency - (U.S.)
- Constipation - (U.S.)
- Glaucoma- (U.S.)
- National Mentoring Month - (U.S.)
- Ontario March of Dimes Month - (Canada)
- Poverty in America - (U.S.)
- Radon Action Month
- Self-Help Group
- Stalking - (U.S.)
- Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month - (U.S.)
- Volunteer Blood Donor Month - (U.S.)
- Weight Loss
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Awareness Days in January: |
- January 1 - Global Family Day - formerly One Day of Peace and Sharing - (UN)
- January 2 - Personal Trainer
- January 1 - World Day of Peace
- January 4 - World Braille Day - International
- January 15 - Intestinal Malrotation and Volvulus
- January 24 - Moebius Syndrome
- January 27 - Family Literacy Day - ABC Life Literacy Canada
- January 27 - Holocaust Remembrance Day - (UN) - (International)
- January 28 - Young Carers (U.K.)
- January 30 - CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy)
- January 31 - World Leprosy Day - (International)
- January 31 - Street Children's Day
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Awareness Weeks in January: |
- 5th-11th January - Lichen Sclerosus Awareness week (UK)
- 3rd Wk - National Non-Smoking Week - Canada - Canadian Council on Smoking and Health
- 3rd Wed - Weedless Wednesday - Canada - Canadian Council on Smoking and Health
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Awareness Dates for February |
February is Awareness Month For: |
- Black History Month - (U.S. and Canada)
- Boost-Your-Self-Esteem Month - (U.S.)
- Children's Dental Health Month - (U.S.)
- Heart and Stroke Month - (U.S.) - Heart and Stroke Foundation
- Human Relations Month
- International Mother Language Day Month
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Awareness Days in February: |
- February 2 - Rheumatoid Arthritis
- February 4 - World Cancer Day
- February 6 - International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation - (International)
- February 11 - World Day of the Sick - (International)
- February 12 - Sexual and Reproductive Health
- February 12 - International Day of Women's Health - (International)
- February 13 - Breast Implant Illness
- February 14 - Congenital Heart Defect - (Canada)
- February 15 - International Childhood Cancer Day - (International)
- February 20 - World Day of Social Justice (Recognized by the UN) - (International)
- February 21 - International Mother Language Day - (UN) - (International)
- February 22 - National Heart Valve Disease (U.S.)
- February 27 - Anosmia
- February 28 (29th in leap year) - Rare Disease Day
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Awareness Weeks in February: |
- February 26 - March 4, 2017 was Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak (CSF) Awareness Week. (Planning for Leak Week 2018 is underway.)
- 1st Wk - Eating Disorder Awareness Week; National; National Eating Disorder Information Center
- 1st Wk - International Development Week; National; CIDA
- 1st Wk - National Therapeutic Recreation Week
- 1st Wk - White Cane Week; National; Canadian Council of the Blind
- 2nd Wk - World Orphan Week; International; SOS Children's Villages Canada
- Last Wed - Pink Shirt Day (Anti-bullying) - Canada - Pink Shirt Day
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Awareness Dates for March |
March is Awareness Month For: |
- American Red Cross Month - (U.S.)
- Cerebral Palsy - (U.S.)
- Color Therapy Month - (U.S.)
- Caffeine - (U.S.)
- Colorectal Cancer
- DVT - (Deep Vein Thrombosis) Prevention
- Developmental Disabilities Month
- Endometriosis
- Epilepsy - (Epilepsy Canada)
- Easter Seals Month - (Ontario, Canada)
- Essential Tremor - (U.S.)
- Foot Health Month
- Help Fight Liver Disease Month
- Juvenile Arthritis - (Canada)
- Kidney Month - (Kidney Foundation of Canada)
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) - (U.S.)
- Music in Our Schools Month
- National Athletic Training Month (U.S.)
- Nutrition Month - (U.S.)
- Polio - (Polio Canada)
- Red Cross Month - (Canadian Red Cross)
- Reading - (U.S.)
- Self-Injury - (U.S.)
- Social Workers Month - (U.S.)
- Trisomy
- Women's History Month
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Awareness Days in March: |
- March 1 - International Wheelchair Day
- March 1 - Self-Injury
- March 5 - Dissociative Identity Disorder Awareness Day / Multiple Personality Awareness Day
- March 5 - U.S. Social Security National Slam the Scam Day
- March 6 - National Lymphedema
- March 8 - United Nations Day for Women's Rights and International Peace - (UN)
- March 8 - International Women's Day - (UN)
- March 10 - National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS
- March 12 - World Glaucoma Day
- March 14 - International Day of Action for Rivers
- March 15 - National Agriculture Day (US)
- March 16 - Brain Injury (Global)
- March 18 - National Trisomy 18 Awareness Day
- March 20 - International Day of Happiness
- March 21 - World Down Syndrome Day
- March 21 - International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
- March 21 - World Poetry Day - (UN - UNESCO)
- March 21 - International Day of Nowruz
- March 24 - International Day for Achievers
- March 24 - World Tuberculosis Day - (UN)
- March 25 - U.S. National Cerebral Palsy
- March 26 - Purple Day for Epilepsy
- March 27 - AFE - An international day uniting those affected by Amniotic Fluid Embolism (AFE)
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Awareness Weeks in March: |
- 1st Wk - Pharmacy Awareness Week - Canadian Pharmacists Association
- 1st Wk - Lymphedema Awareness Week - BC Lymphedema Association
- 1st Wk - World Glaucoma Awareness Week - World Glaucoma Week
- 2nd Wk - Canadian Agricultural Safety Week - Canadian Federation of Agriculture
- 2nd Wk - National Social Work Week - Canadian Association of Social Workers
- 3rd Wk - Crisis Line Awareness Week - BC Crisis Line Association
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Awareness Dates for April |
April is Awareness Month For: |
- 30-hour Famine - (U.S.)
- Alcohol
- American Cancer Society Month - (U.S.)
- Autism - (Canada and U.S.)
- Child Abuse Prevention Month - (U.S.)
- Community Service Month
- Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
- International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD) Awareness Month
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Limb Loss
- Narz - (U.S.)
- Oral Health Month - (U.S.)
- Parkinson's Disease
- Primary Immunodeficiency - (U.S.)
- Sarcoidosis
- Sexual Assault
- Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD)
- Spondylitis
- Stress
- Testicular Cancer
- Volunteer Appreciation Month
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Awareness Days in April: |
- April 1 - Youth Homelessness Matters Day
- April 2 - World Autism Awareness Day - (UN)
- April 4 - Auditory Processing Disorder
- April 6 - Bohring-Opitz Syndrome (International)
- April 7 - World Health Day - (UN)
- April 7 - Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Rwanda Genocide
- April 7 - National Making The First Move Day
- April 8 - National Gifted Education in Ireland
- April 8 - Cushing Disease/Syndrome
- April 9 - National Alcohol Screening Day - (NASD)
- April 10 - National Youth HIV and AIDS
- April 11 - Parkinson's Disease International.
- April 12 - International Day for Street Children
- April 13 - Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) (International)
- April 16 - National Stress
- April 17 - World Hemophilia Day - (UN)
- April 19 - Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Action Day
- April 22 - Earth Day
- April 23 - Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP)
- April 25 - World Meningitis Day
- April 25 - World Malaria Day - (WHO)
- April 25 - Parental Alienation - (PAAD)
- April 28 - International Workers Memorial Day or International Commemoration Day - (ICD)
- April 29 - Make-A-Wish Day (International)
- April 29 - Day of Remembrance of Victims of Chemical Warfare
- April 29 - World Primary Immunodeficiency Day (Canada)
- April 29 - International Noise
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Awareness Weeks in April: |
- 2nd Saturday of April - Sarcoidosis
- Last Saturday in April - Show Your Mettle Day - to encourage amputees to show their metal (prosthetic devices, wheel chairs, etc).
- April 6-13 (2019) - National Porphyria Awareness Week (NPAW) to enhance porphyria awareness in communities by spreading the word about porphyria.
- April 12-18 - Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.
- 13 - 19 - National Dental Hygiene Week; National; Canadian Dental Hygienists Association
- 20- 27 - National Organ Donor Awareness Week
- 2nd Wk - World Homeopathy Awareness Week
- 3rd Wk - National Medical Laboratory Week; National
- 3rd Wk - National Volunteer Week; National; Volunteer Canada
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Awareness Dates for May |
May is Awareness Month For: |
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Awareness Days in May: |
- Misophonia falls on the first Monday in May, and is known as Misophonia Monday
- May 1 - Global Mesh
- May 2 - International Scurvy
- May 3 - Start of Brain Tumor Action Week
- May 5 - Cri du Chat Syndrome Day (www.fivepminus.org)
- May 5 - International Midwives Day
- May 5 - Ependymoma
- May 5 - National Childhood Stroke
- May 5 - World Asthma Day
- May 6 - World Moyamoya Day
- May 7 - National Children's Mental Health
- May 6 - International Awareness Day for Osteogenesis Imperfecta (Brittle Bones)
- May 7 - Bladder Cancer
- May 8 - World Ovarian Cancer
- May 8 - World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day
- May 10 - World Lupus Day
- May 12 - International ME Awareness Day (for ME/CFS)
- May 12 - International Nurses Day
- May 12 - International Awareness Day for Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases (CIND)
- May 14 - Childhood Speech Apraxia
- May 15 - International Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS)
- May 15 - International Day of Families - (UN)
- May 17 - Worldwide Neurofibromatosis (NF)
- May 17 - International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia
- May 18 - International AIDS Vaccine Day
- May 18 - International AIDS Candlelight Memorial
- May 19 - World Hepatitis Day
- May 19 - Schizencephaly
- May 20 - International Behcet's Disease Awareness Day
- May 20 - International Blue Cone Monochromacy
- May 20 - World AiArthritis Day (AiArthritis Day) - Global - Annually - (Was: World Autoimmune Arthritis Day (WAAD))
- May 21 - Global Accessibility
- May 22 - International Day for Biological Diversity - (UN)
- May 23 - International Day to End Obstetric Fistula
- May 24 - Schizophrenia (Canada)
- May 25 - World Thyroid Day (WTD)
- May 27 - World Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
- May 28 - World Hunger Day
- May 31 - World No Tobacco Day - (UN)
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Awareness Weeks in May: |
- ME/CFS Awareness Week - week sounding 12th May
- U.K. Deaf Awareness Week (DAW) - (Dates Vary)
- Week surrounding May 5 - International Cri du Chat Syndrome Awareness Week
- 1st Saturday in May each year is World Ankylosing Spondylitis Day
- 1st Tuesday of May - World Asthma Day
- 2nd Sunday of May - International Mothers' Day
- 2nd Week in May - Williams Syndrome Awareness Week
- 3rd Thursday of May - Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD)
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Awareness Dates for June |
June is Awareness Month For: |
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Awareness Days in June: |
- June 1 - International Children's Day
- June 1 - World Hypoparathyroidism Awareness
- June 2 - National Gun Violence
- June 3 - Telehealthcare
- June 4 - International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
- June 5 - National HIV/AIDS Long-Term Survivors
- June 6 - Hunger Day
- June 7 - National Cancer Survivors Day
- June 7 - World Food Safety Day - (UN)
- June 8 - World Brain Tumor Day
- June 11 - Neuropathy Action
- June 13 - Young Carers (U.K.)
- June 13 - International Albinism
- June 14 - World Blood Donor Day - (UN)
- June 15 - World Elder Abuse (WEAAD)
- June 17 - CDKL5 Worldwide
- June 18 - Autistic Pride Day
- June 19 - World Sickle Cell Day - (UN)
- June 20 - World Refugee Day - (UN)
- June 21 - Global day of recognition of ALS/MND
- June 23 - Dravet Syndrome.
- June 25 - World Vitiligo
- June 26 - International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking - (UN)
- June 27 - U.S. National Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Day
- June 29 - Chronic Migraine
- June 29 - World Scleroderma
- June 30 - Arthrogryposis
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Awareness Dates for July |
July is Awareness Month For: |
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Awareness Days in July: |
- July 1 - Doctor's Day - Bidhan Chandra Roy Birthday
- July 2 - National Corpus Callosum (Australia)
- July 5 2015 - International Day of Cooperatives (Recognized by the UN first Saturday in July)
- July 6 - International Kissing Day
- July 11 - World Population Day
- July 12 - Disability Awareness Day (DAD) (U.K.)
- July 12 - Heterochromia
- July 13 - Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST)
- July 15 - World Youth Skills Day
- July 17 - World Day for International Justice
- July 18 - Nelson Mandela International Day
- July 21 - National Farm Safety
- July 22 - Fragile X (FXS)
- July 23 - World Sjogren's Day
- July 24 - National Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Day
- July 26 - Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Awareness Day
- July 28 - World Hepatitis Day
- July 30 - Gastroschisis
- July 30 - International Day of Friendship
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Awareness Weeks in July: |
- Last Friday of July - System Administrator Appreciation Day
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Awareness Dates for August |
August is Awareness Month For: |
- Autoinflammatory Disorders Awareness
- Cataract
- Children's Eye Health and Safety
- Children's Vision and Learning
- Digestive Tract Paralysis (DTP)
- Don't be a Bully Month
- Immunization Awareness
- Neurosurgery Outreach Month
- Never Leave a Child Unattended in a Car, Purple Ribbon Month
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness
- Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS)
- Studious Behavior Awareness
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Awareness Days in August: |
- August 1 - Clergy Sexual Abuse US and International
- August 6 - National Fresh Breath Day
- August 6 - National Wiggle Your Toes Day
- August 7 - Purple Heart Day
- August 8 - Happiness Happens Day
- August 8 - Severe ME Awareness Day (Severe & Very Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis).
- August 9 - International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples
- August 12 - International Youth Day
- August 13 - International Left-handers Day
- August 19 - World Humanitarian Day
- August 20 - National Honey Bee Day
- August 21 - National Senior Citizens Day
- August 30 - International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances
- August 31 - International Overdose
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Awareness Dates for September |
September is Awareness Month For: |
- Alopecia - (U.S.)
- Arnold-Chiari Malformation
- Achalasia - achalasiaawareness.org
- Baby Safety Month - (U.S.)
- Childhood Cancer - (U.S.)
- Childhood Obesity Awareness Month - (U.S.)
- Chiari
- Cholesterol Awareness Month - (U.S.)
- Deaf (International)
- Emergency Care Month
- Gynecological Cancer - (U.S.)
- Hispanic Heritage Month - (U.S. - Sept. 15 to Oct. 15)
- Life Insurance - (U.S.)
- Lymphoma
- National Guide Dog Month - (U.S.)
- National Recovery Month - (U.S.)
- National Hydrocephalus - (U.S.)
- National Honey Month - (U.S.)
- National Preparedness Month - (U.S.)
- Orthostatic Tremor
- Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month - (U.S.)
- Pain
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
- Prostate
- Recovery Month - (U.S.)
- Sight Saving Month - (U.S.)
- Suicide Prevention Month - (U.S.)
- Spinal Cord Injury - (U.S.)
- Thyroid Cancer
- Tumor - (U.S.)
- Wilderness Month - (U.S.)
- World Alzheimer's Disease Month
- Women of Achievement Month
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Awareness Days in September: |
- September 4 - World Cerebral Palsy Day (List of Famous People with Cerebral Palsy)
- September 5 - International Day of Charity - (U.N.)
- September 7 - Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
- September 8 - National Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses Day
- September 9 - International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Children)
- September 10 - World Suicide Prevention Day
- September 11 - Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance (U.S.)
- September 12 - World First Aid Day (2015)
- September 13 - Celiac Disease - List of Gluten Free Food and Drink Products
- September 15 - Pension (U.K.)
- September 15 - World Lymphoma - Hodgkin's Lymphoma
- September 16 - National School Backpack
- September 17 - Still's Disease Awareness Day (globally) (International Foundation for Autoimmune & Autoinflammatory Arthritis (AiArthritis)
- September 18 - National HIV/AIDS and Aging
- September 19 - Aortic Dissection
- September 19 - Usher Syndrome (Global)
- September 21 - Myositis - Designated by U.S. Congress
- September 21 - World Alzheimer's Day
- September 21 - International Day of Peace
- September 22 - World Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) Day
- September 23 - Falls Prevention - (First Day of Fall)
- September 23 - International Day of Sign Languages - (The date The World Federation of the Deaf was established in 1951)
- September 24 - Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS)
- September 25 - International Ataxia
- September 26 - Mesothelioma
- September 27 - National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS (NGMHAAD)
- September 29 - World Heart Day
- September 28 - World Rabies Day
- September 30 - Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy
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Awareness Weeks in September: |
- National Rehabilitation Awareness Week - (Actual Date Subject to Change Each Year)
- Idiopathic Hypersomnia Awareness Week - First week of September - (4th - 10th Sept, 2017)
- Last week of September - International Week of the Deaf (International)
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Awareness Dates for October |
October is Awareness Month For: |
- AIDS - (U.S.)
- Black History Month - (U.K.)
- Breast Cancer
- Bullying Prevention Month - (U.S.)
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month - (U.S.)
- Collegiate Alcohol - (U.S.)
- Colon Cancer
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) / Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) awareness month.
- Dental Hygiene Month - (U.S.)
- Depression Education - (U.S.)
- Disability Employment
- Diversity
- Diarrhea
- Domestic Violence
- Down Syndrome - (U.S.)
- Dwarfism
- Dysautonomia (www.dysautonomiainternational.org)
- Eczema
- Emotional Intelligence - (www.e-ii.org)
- Fire Prevention Month - (U.S.)
- Health Care Food Service Month - (U.S.)
- Hunger
- International Walk to School Month - (Canada)
- Infant Loss and Miscarriage - (U.S.)
- Information Literacy - (U.S.)
- Lupus
- Pharmacy Month - (U.S.)
- Physical Therapy Month - (U.S.)
- Pregnancy and Infant Loss - (U.S.)
- Raynaud's
- Rett Syndrome
- Selective Mutism
- Spina Bifida
- Spina bifida awareness month
- Work and Family Month - (U.S.)
- Vaccine Injury - (U.S.)
- Vegetarian - (U.S.)
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Awareness Days in October: |
- October 1 - International Day of Older Persons - (UN)
- October 1 - World Vegetarian Day
- October 2 - World Cerebral Palsy Day
- October 5 - World Day of Bullying Prevention
- October 5 - American Veterans Disabled for Life
- October 7 - International Trigeminal Neuralgia
- October 7 - Team Margot Stem Cell and Bone Marrow
- October 7 - World Cerebral Palsy
- October 8 - World Humanitarian Action Day
- October 9 - PANDAS / PANS
- October 10 - World Hospice and Palliative Care Day
- October 10 - World Mental Health Day
- October 10 - World Day Against Death Penalty, recognized by the WCADP
- October 11 - International Day of the Girl Child
- October 13 - Metastatic Breast Cancer
- October 14 - Global Food Protein Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES) Day
- October 15 - World Blind Day / World Sight Day
- October 15 - International Day of Rural Women - (UN)
- October 15 - Global Hand-washing Day
- October 15 - National White Cane Safety Day
- October 15 - Blind Americans Equality Day
- October 16 - World Food Day - (UN)
- October 17 - International Day for the Eradication of Poverty - (UN)
- October 18 - World Vasectomy Day
- October 20 - World Osteoporosis Day
- October 21 - Breast Reconstruction Awareness (BRA) Day
- October 22 - Phelan-McDermid Syndrome - International Day of Awareness
- October 22 - International Stuttering
- October 23 - Kabuki Syndrome
- October 24 - World Development Information Day
- October 24 - United Nations Day
- October 25 - Spina Bifida
- October 25 - Hydrocephalus Day
- October 25 - 31 - International Epidermolysis Bullosa Awareness Week
- October 26 - Intersex
- October 27 - World Day for Audiovisual Heritage
- October 29 - World Stroke Day
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Awareness Dates for November |
November is Awareness Month For: |
- Adoption - (U.S.)
- COPD Awareness Month
- Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
- Alzheimer's
- Dercum's Disease (Adiposis Dolorosa)
- Diabetes
- Epilepsy Month
- Good Nutrition Month
- Hospice Month
- Lung Cancer
- Native American Heritage Month
- Prematurity
- Prostate Cancer / Men's Health
- Red Ribbon Month (Anti-drunk-driving)
- RSD/CRPS
- Vegan
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Awareness Days in November: |
- November 1 - World Vegan Day
- November 1 - Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome
- November 4 - National Stress (NSAD) (U.K.)
- November 7 - Cancer (India)
- November 8 - Aicardi Syndrome
- November 10 - World NET Cancer
- November 10 - World Immunization Day
- November 11 - Veterans Day - Remembrance Day - Armistice Day
- November 12 - World Pneumonia Day
- November 13 - World Pancreatic Cancer Day
- November 14 - World Diabetes Day - (UN)
- November 15 - World Ohtahara Syndrome
- November 16 - International Day for Tolerance - (UN)
- November 17 - International Students Day
- November 17 - World Prematurity Day
- November 18 - World COPD Day
- November 19 - International Men's Day (IMD)
- November 20 - Universal Children's Day - (UN)
- November 24 - N24
- November 25 - International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women - (UN)
- November 30 - Self Harm
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Awareness Weeks in November: |
- National Radiologic Technology Week
- 5th-11th November - Vulval cancer awareness week (UK)
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Awareness Dates for December |
December is Awareness Month For: |
- AIDS
- Constipation
- Universal Human Rights Month
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Awareness Days in December: |
- December 1 - World Aids Day - (UN)
- December 3 - International Day of Persons with Disabilities - (UN)
- December 5 - International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development
- December 6 - National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (Canada)
- December 10 - Human Rights Day - (UN)
- December 27 - International Day of Epidemic Preparedness (U.N.)
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Awareness Weeks in December: |
- 5th-11th December - Vaginal Atrophy Awareness week (UK)
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