DineSmart is an initiative to raise awareness about the prominent issue of homelessness in Australia. Dine at participating Dine Smart restaurants and help out local grassroots community groups help people who are homeless or at risk.
On any given night 26,238 Australians aged 12-24 are homeless.
To get involved:
For more information: https://streetsmartaustralia.org
16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an international campaign to challenge violence against women and girls. The campaign runs every year from 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December 2017. The theme for 2018 is “Orange the World: #HearMeToo” reinforcing the UNiTE Campaign’s commitment to a world free from violence for all women and girls around the world.
On the basis of data from 2005 to 2016 for 87 countries, 19 per cent of women between 15 and 49 years of age said they had experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner in the 12 months prior to the survey.
Get involved this December by:
For more information, visit: http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/take-action/16-days-of-activism
Pneumonia is caused by an infection of the lung. Most infections are either due to bacteria or viruses, although often a cause is never found. This is a dangerous disease which can have severe effects on any individual who contracts it. World Pneumonia Day brings people from all over the world together, uniting to demand that something be done to fight the pneumonia illness. It helps to highlight the severity of pneumonia and encourages more organisations to look at ways of combating the disease.
Pneumonia is one of the most solvable problems in global health and yet a child dies from the infection every 20 seconds.
To get involved:
For more information: https://stoppneumonia.org/world-pneumonia-day/
The aim of World NET Cancer Day is to raise awareness of NET cancers among decision makers, health professionals and the general public. Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) is the umbrella term for a group of unusual cancers which develop from cells in the diffuse endocrine system. NETs can affect people of any age, and can be slow-growing or very aggressive.
“NET is considered a rare cancer, but incidence has increased in Australia over the past few decades. Analysis has shown that annual NET incidence per 100,000 has increased from 1.7 in 1980-1989 to 3.3 in 2000-2006 (that is, three people per 100,000).”
Get involved by:
For more information: https://netcancerday.org/news/
The Movember Foundation is the leading global health organisation committed to changing the face of men’s health, stopping men dying too young. The state of men’s health is in crisis. Men experience worse longer-term health than women and die on average six years earlier.
3,500 male deaths have already occurred this year due to prostate cancer.Three quarters of suicides are men. Poor mental health leads to half a million men taking their own life every year. That’s one every minute.
Be a part of groundbreaking change and support ‘The Movember Foundation’ to address the crisis at a global level.
To get involved:
For more information: https://au.movember.com/
Blue Knot Day is Blue Knot Foundation’s national awareness day celebrated in October every year. On this day, all Australians are asked to unite in support of the 5 million Australian adult survivors of childhood trauma and abuse. Blue Knot Day will be held on Monday 29 October.
The 2018 Blue Knot Day theme ‘REAL LIVES. REAL CHANGE’ recognises the urgent need for support services for adult survivors of childhood trauma.
This Blue Knot Day you can show your support for change in 3 ways:
For more information, visit: https://www.blueknot.org.au/BlueKnotDay
National Safe Work Month 2018
National Safe Work Month is held in October each year. It aims to build awareness of work health and safety and encourage discussion about the importance of WHS issues.
Since Safe Work Australia’s inception, there has been a steady decline in the rate of work-related fatalities and workers’ compensation claims.
However, we also know that work-related injury and disease cost the Australian community $61.8 billion in a year.
There’s still work to be done.
Get involved this October by:
For more information, visit: https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/news-and-events/national-safe-work-month
ONE DAY: ONE FOCUS: ENDING POLIO
Poliomyelitis is a highly infectious disease that most commonly affects children under the age of 5. Most know it as polio virus. The virus is spread from person to person, typically through contaminated water. It can attack the nervous system, and in some instances, lead to paralysis. Although there is no cure, there is a safe and effective vaccine.
“The number of worldwide polio cases has fallen from an estimated 350,000 in 1988 to 407 in 2013—a decline of more than 99% in reported cases.”
Continue this fall in Polio by:
For more information, visit: https://www.endpolio.org/world-polio-day
This is an initiative designed to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining good bone health.
This year the theme is focused on the important issue of spinal fractures.
It’s true, any type of broken bone from poor bone health is serious. But spinal fractures are the most undiagnosed type of fracture.
“There are approximately 12,000 spinal cord injuries each year,which are associated with a significant mortality rate.”
Height loss, curved back and sudden unexplained back pain are all warning signs. If osteoporosis is diagnosed there are positive steps to help manage your bone health.
To get involved this October:
For more information, visit: https://www.osteoporosis.org.au/world-osteoporosis-day-2018
National Carer’s Week is an opportunity to raise awareness of the efforts and commitments made by carer’s around the country. There are over 2.8 million family and friend carers in Australia providing 36 million hours of care and support every week to a family member or friend who has a disability, mental illness, drug and/or alcohol dependency, chronic condition, terminal illness or who is frail.
“Should all carers decide to stop performing their caring role, it would cost the country $60.3 billion per year to replace those supports – that’s over $1 billion per week.”
Make a difference this October by:
For more information , visit: http://www.carersweek.com.au/