Awareness Campaigns

The accompanying audio file for my "Awareness Campaigns" lesson plan.

Script: Today, we’re going to be looking at some of the health awareness campaigns in a year.

January is Veganuary, where people are encouraged to try veganism for a month, and Dry January, which encourages people to go without alcohol.

February is Raynaud’s Awareness Month, Spay/Neuter Awareness Month, aimed at saving cats and dogs from overpopulation, and Boost Your Self-Esteem Month. It’s also American Heart Month.

March is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month, DeChox in the U.K. which encourages people to give up chocolate for charity, National Kidney Month in the U.S., National Nutrition Month (also U.S.) … there are heaps of them. The U.K. even has Time For A Cuppa week to help families with dementia.

April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Alcohol Awareness Month and, in the U.S., National Autism Awareness Month and National Child Abuse Prevention Month as well as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. The 7th of April is World Health Day, organised by the World Health Organisation.

In May, it’s Make May Purple, which aims to raise awareness of strokes and their impact on sufferers and their families. It’s also Skin Cancer Awareness Month, Clean Air Month in the U.S., National Smile Month in the U.K., and Don’t Fry Day on the 29th.

June 1st is World Hypoparathyroidism Awareness Day, and the month of June is Tourettes Awareness Month, as well as Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month and Scoliosis Awareness Month in the U.S.

July is Sarcoma Awareness Month and Group B Strep Support Month. In the U.K., there is Talk To Us, where Brits learn how to become better listeners, and in the U.S., there is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month.

August starts with World Breastfeeding Week, and in the U.S., the whole month is National Breastfeeding Month as well as Psoriasis Awareness Month. It includes World Humanitarian Day, Cycle to Work Day, Aged Care Employee Day and International Day of the Disappeared.

September is CMT Awareness Month to raise awareness of what Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease is and push for treatment. In the U.K., it’s Oddfellows Friendship Month and Organic September, and in the U.S., the very, VERY long list includes Healthy Aging Month, Pain Awareness Month and Sexual Health Awareness Month. One important day is World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th.

October is typically Pink Month, or Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The U.K. has Go Sober For October, and it’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the U.S. There’s World Vegetarian Day on the 1st and World Food Day on the 16th.

November is Movember, or Men’s Health Awareness Month, whose symbol is a curly moustache. The U.K. has the Veg Pledge, encouraging people to go vegetarian for a month, as well as Lung Cancer, Mouth Cancer and Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Months, and the U.S. has American Diabetes Month, followed by the Great American Smokeout to help people quit smoking.

December for men is Decembeard, where men are encouraged to grow the biggest beard they can while explaining that they are doing this to promote support and awareness of bowel cancer. December also starts with World AIDS Day. There is Eat A Red Apple Day in the U.S and Day of People with Disabilities internationally.

Which ones do you celebrate?