Scleroderma, also known as Systemic Sclerosis, is a rare autoimmune disease that turns simple daily activities into real challenges. June 29 is World Scleroderma Day, an initiative to raise awareness about the severeness of this disease.

Scleroderma is a chronic disease of the connective tissue, immune and vascular systems, and presents a major diagnostic and management problem for patients and their physicians. It is life-threatening and currently has no cure.

“Anyone can develop scleroderma, but it is more common between the ages of 30 and 60, and three times more likely in females. There are estimated to be over 6,000 Australians living with scleroderma.” (1)

Get involved this June by:

• Raising awareness on social media
• Making a donation to the foundation
• Volunteering

For more information, visit: 
https://www.sclerodermaaustralia.com.au/
http://worldsclerodermaday.org/

27 June is PTSD Awareness Day. Phoenix Australia aims to raise awareness about posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the impact of trauma, because if more people know about PTSD, then more sufferers can get the help they need.Trauma can have a devastating effect on people’s lives.  Anyone of us can be affected and the psychological impacts can be deep and complex.

Not everyone who experiences trauma will develop PTSD, but about 5-10% of Australians will suffer from PTSD at some point in their lives. That means that at any one time over 1 million Australians have PTSD.

Get involved this June by:

• Raising awareness on social media
• Making a donation to the foundation
• Volunteering

For more information , visit :

PTSD Awareness Day

Red Apple Day (Wednesday, 21 June 2023) is Bowel Cancer Australia’s Annual Giving Day, when Australians are encouraged to support the vital work of the charity. If you’ve ever thought about raising funds and awareness for bowel cancer, then Red Apple Day is the time to do it! Host an apple themed virtual brunch, morning or afternoon tea, dinner or evening catch-up. 

Bowel cancer claims the lives of 103 Australians every week (5,354 people a year) – but it’s one of the most treatable types of cancer if found early.

Get involved this June by:

Organising a fundraiser
Raising awareness on social media
Purchasing merchandise

For more information, visit:
https://www.bowelcanceraustralia.org/bowel-cancer-awareness-month#RedAppleDay

Haemochromatosis Awareness Week runs 1-7 June each year. This week allows a time to focus attention on haemochromatosis and for people to raise awareness of the condition in the community. Haemochromatosis is diagnosed far too late for many people. Many people struggle for years with unexplained symptoms while the condition is overlooked.

“Haemochromatosis is the most common genetic disorder in Australia”

People with haemochromatosis absorb too much iron from their diet.  Over time this leads to iron overload. If undetected and untreated, the excess iron can cause organ or tissue damage and can potentially result in premature death.

Join the action this June by:

• Raising awareness on social media
• Making a donation
• Putting up posters about the cause

For more information, visit:
https://haemochromatosis.org.au/whw

Bowel Cancer Awareness Month is an annual initiative of Bowel Cancer Australia running throughout the month of June, to raise public awareness of a disease that claims the lives of 103 Australians every week.

Bowel Cancer is Australia’s second deadliest cancer.
but it’s one of the most treatable types of cancer if found early.

Bowel Cancer Awareness Month has a positive message – saving lives through early detection – as bowel cancer is one of the most treatable types of cancer if found early.

To get involved:

• Raise awareness in the community
• Organise a fundraiser
• Volunteer with the foundation
• Make a donation
• Order an awareness pack

For more information, visit: https://www.bowelcanceraustralia.org/bowel-cancer-awareness-month

MS is a day to recognise the prevelance of MS in society. MS is the result of damage to myelin – a protective sheath surrounding nerve fibres of the central nervous system. When myelin is damaged, this interferes with messages between the brain and other parts of the body.

‘The average age of diagnosis with MS is just 30, and 3 out of 4 Australians with MS are women.’

There are 25,600 Australians living with MS currently.

Get involved this May by:

• Raising awareness on social media
• Volunteering
• Making a donation

For more information, visit:
https://kissgoodbyetoms.org/

World Thyroid Day takes place on 25th May each year, aiming to increase public awareness of thyroid diseases, namely the importance of their timely diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

Thyroid disorders are very common worldwide, they affect people of all ages and have a large range of symptoms.

The most common thyroid disorders include hyperthyroidism (abnormally increased thyroid activity), hypothyroidism (abnormally decreased thyroid activity), thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland) and thyroid cancer and are often caused by iodine deficiency.

“Hypothyroidism is the most common thyroid disorder in Australia, affecting around 1 in 33 Australians¹.”

Get involved this May by:

• Raising awareness on social media
• Organising a fundraiser
• Making a donation

For more information, visit: 
https://thyroidfoundation.org.au/World-Thyroid-Day

National Palliative Care Week (NPCW), held from 24 – 30 May 2023, is Australia’s largest annual awareness raising initiative held increase understanding of the many benefits of palliative care.

“Palliative Care… It’s more than you think”.  Theme for National Palliative Care Week 2022 is It’s your right.

Palliative care is person and family-centred care provided for a person with an active, progressive, advanced disease, who has little or no prospect of cure and who is expected to die, and for whom the primary goal is to optimise the quality of life.

For help and information ask your:

• Doctor
• Aboriginal Health Worker
• Hospital Liaison Officer
• Nurse

Get involved this May by:

• Joining a twitter conversation
• Getting a conversation going in the community
• Volunteering with the foundation
• Donating

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

International Nurses Day takes place on 12 May every year and provides an opportunity to recognise nurses around the world for their contribution to health care. The day is celebrated on 12 May as this is the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, the founder of modern nursing. 

The theme for the 2023 resource is Our Nurses. Our Future.

Our Nurses. Our Future. will be a global campaign which sets out what we want for nursing in the future in order to address the global health challenges and improve global health for all. We need to learn from the lessons of the pandemic and translate these into actions of the future.

Get involved by:

• Making a donation
• Showing your appreciation to the nurses in your local community
• Volunteering
• Raising awareness on social media

For more information, visit:
https://www.icn.ch/what-we-do/campaigns/international-nurses-day