International Overdose Awareness Day falls on 31st August each year and aims to raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma surrounding drug-related deaths. This day provides an opportunity to acknowledge the grief of friends and family who have had a loved one die or suffer permanent injury from a drug overdose.

In 2016, Australia recorded 1,808 drug-induced deaths, the highest number in 20 years. (1)

International Overdose Awareness Day is also a chance to encourage discussion about evidence-based overdose prevention and drug policy, and spread the message that drug overdose is preventable. One of the goals of hosting this day includes educating the community about the issue of fatal and non-fatal overdose and provide information on the support services available.

Get involved this August by:

• Making a donation
• Hosting an activity
• Posting a tribute
• Spreading awareness on social media

For more information, visit:
https://www.overdoseday.com/

This year, Speech Pathology Week is running from 22-28 August, with the theme ‘communicating with confidence’. One key focus of this week is to promote speech pathology and recognise the impact speech pathology has on those Australians experiencing a communication disability affecting their daily lives.

Speech Pathology Week seeks to promote the speech pathology profession and the work done by speech pathologists with the 1.2 million Australians who have a communication disability.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the challenges faced by Australians with communication disability. Communication is a basic human right and Speech Pathology Week seeks to make Australians aware of this. Speech pathologists work to ensure everyone can communicate with confidence. It is important that the broader community understands that:

• communication is a basic human right
• 1.2 million Australians live with communication disability
• communication disability is largely invisible. Unseen and out-of-sight
• confident communication helps maximise educational, health and social outcomes
• communication is more than just speech

Speech Pathology Week also highlights the importance of communication (which includes more than just speech) and seeks to educate the broader community about communication disabilities which are largely ‘invisible’. Speech Pathology Australia aims to empower individuals to be more confident in their communication and help maximise educational, health and social outcomes.

Get involved this August by:

• Raising awareness of communication disabilities on social media
• Educating yourself on ways to successfully communicate
• Sharing successful communication tips with friends and family

For more information, visit:
https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/

Red Nose aims to reduce the number of unexpected deaths of children. Their mission is to continue research into causes and prevention of infant and child death, deliver safe sleep and safe pregnancy education to Australian parents and carers, and ensure free bereavement support is accessible following the death of a baby or child.

From 1989 to 2018, the rate of SUDI deaths in Australia has decreased by 85% – equating to 10,857 babies saved since risk reduction campaigns were introduced. (1)

Use Friday 13 August as an opportunity to “get silly for a serious cause” and participate in Red Nose Day. Get involved by making a donation, organising a fundraiser, or buing merchandise.

Ways to get involved include:

• Learning more about Red Nose
• Fundraising online or offline
• Volunteering with the organisation
• Making a donation
• Raising awareness on social media

For more information, visit:
https://rednoseday.org.au/

Red Nose Grief & Loss 24/7 Support Line: 1300 308 307

August is Tradies National Health Month, and the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) is raising awareness of the risks posed to those who work in trade occupations—among individuals, their families, employers and the wider community.

Aussie tradies make up 35 per cent of the Australian workforce, yet they account for a staggering 59 per cent in serious claims for worker’s compensation. (1)

While there have been improvements, Australia’s trade industry continues to have among the highest health and safety issues of any sector. Time off work due to poor health and injury has a significant impact on families, businesses and communities. This impact will grow if steps are not taken to change behaviour. Anyone can get behind Tradies National Health Month.

Get involved this August by:

• Spreading awareness on social media
• Raising awareness about safety at work
• Visiting www.tradieshealth.com.au for more ways to make a difference

For more information, visit:
https://choose.physio/tradieshealth/getinvolved

MS Readathon is a reading based fundraising program open to participants of ALL ages. Read through the month of August, get sponsored and make a difference! All funds raised go towards support and services provided for people living with multiple sclerosis (MS), their families and carers while the search for a cure continues.

The MS Readathon inspires kids to read as much as they can, all for one incredible cause. The rules are simple. Read whatever you like, as much as you can, throughout the month of August. 

Children can register with their school (teachers, you can register your class) or individually. Best of all, by joining our quest, not only will you awaken a love of reading, you will also be helping kids who have a parent with multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition of the central nervous system, interfering with nerve impulses within the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.

There are over 25,600 people living with MS in Australia. (1)

Get involved this August by:

• Being a part of the reading fundraiser
• Volunteering
• Donating to the foundation

For more information, visit: https://msreadathon.org.au/

The 2021 campaign focuses on the importance of taking steps to care for your teeth and gums to help you to keep your teeth and smile for life. The ADA’s main oral health messages and the four key messages of the 2021 DHW campaign aim to reinforce the importance of maintaining good oral health:

• Brush teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
• Clean between your teeth daily using floss or interdental brushes.
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet and limit added sugar intake.
• Visit the dentist regularly for check-ups and preventive care.

75% adults rarely or never floss or clean between their teeth and 1 in 5 adults brush only once per day. (1)

Australians should expect to keep their teeth for their lifetime and practising the four key messages above can help people to reach this goal. People do not expect to lose a limb so why expect to lose their teeth?

Get involved this August by:

• Maintaining good oral care
• Visiting your dentist if needed
• Raising awareness on social media
• Informing the community

For more information, visit:
https://www.ada.org.au/Dental-Health-Week/Home

World Breastfeeding Week, 1-7 August, is an initiative which aims to protect, promote and support breastfeeding as the best way to provide newborns with the nutrients they need.

“Breastfeeding is not only the cornerstone of a child’s healthy development; it is also the foundation of a country’s development.”

The 2021 will focus on how breastfeeding contributes to the survival, health and wellbeing of all, and the imperative to protect breastfeeding worldwide.

Objectives of World Breastfeeding Week include:

• Inform people about the importance of protecting breastfeeding
• Anchor breastfeeding support as a vital public health responsibility
• Engage with individuals and organisations for greater impact​
• Galvanise with individuals and organisations for greater impact​

Get involved this August by:

• Raising awareness on social media
• Educating the community
• Organising a fundraiser
• Donating to the foundation

For more information, visit: http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org/

World Hepatitis Day is a campaign bringing the world together to raise awareness of viral hepatitis and play a part in the fight to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030. The 2021 theme is ‘Hepatitis Can’t Wait’: with a person dying every 30 seconds from a hepatitis related illness – even in the current COVID-19 crisis – we can’t wait to act on viral hepatitis

Worldwide, 290 million people are living with viral hepatitis unaware.

World Hepatitis Day is an opportunity to celebrate progress and advancements made, highlight the current challenges and an occasion to increase awareness and work towards prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

• People living with viral hepatitis unaware can’t wait for testing
• People living with hepatitis can’t wait for life saving treatments
• Expectant mothers can’t wait for hepatitis screening and treatment
• Newborn babies can’t wait for birth dose vaccination
• People affected by hepatitis can’t wait to end stigma and discrimination

Get involved this July by:

• Raising awareness on social media
• Handing out promotional merchandise
• Creating a poster
• Volunteering
• Donating

For more information, visit: https://www.hepatitisaustralia.com/world-hepatitis-day
https://www.worldhepatitisday.org/

DonateLife Week is a key part of the Australian Government’s national reform program to increase organ and tissue donation and transplantation outcomes. Each year, events are held across Australia during DonateLife Week to encourage all Australians to register their donation decision and to discuss their donation decisions with their loved ones.

Some key numbers for 2020: (1)

• There are around 1,650 Australians currently waitlisted for a transplant and more than 12,000 additional people on dialysis — many who may need a kidney transplant. 
• In 2020, 1,270 Australian lives were saved through an organ transplant due to the generosity of 463 deceased organ donors and their families.
• Since the national program began in 2009 there have been 14,352 organ transplant recipientsfrom 5,029 deceased organ donors.

Get involved this August by:

• Registering for a donation
• Raising awareness on social media
• Informing family and friends

For more information, visit: http://www.donatelife.gov.au/donatelife-week

Each year Chronic Pain Australia organises National Pain Week to champion the needs of the many Australians living with chronic pain. The theme of National Pain Week for 2021 is “Connection”.People living with chronic pain can often feel isolated by their pain. The 2021 theme “Connection” is designed to:

• Remind friends, family and professionals that connection is key to addressing the social challenges that pain can create
• Encourage people to connect with their bodies and to acknoweldge their pain
• Encourage people to seek support and advice from others rather than ignoring it and suffering in silence

1 in 5 Australians live with chronic pain – including adolescents and children. This includes 1 in 3 people over the age of 65. (1)

National Pain Week aims not only to educate the broader population about chronic pain, but also communicate to medical professionals what people in the pain community require.

Get involved during this week by:

• Accessing resources on their website
• Raising awareness on social media
• Educating friends and family about this week
• Making a donation

For more information, visit:
https://www.nationalpainweek.org.au/