Screen grab from #WAAD17 website: worldautoimmunearthritisday.org
May 20 marks World Autoimmune Arthritis Day! It’s a great time to learn more about arthritis, including autoimmune arthritis. And there’s no better way to do this than with #WAAD17 and a race to raise awareness!
#WAAD17 is hosted by the International Foundation for Autoimmune Arthritis (IFAA), with resources from 24 nonprofit organizations, including the Arthritis Foundation and American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA), both of which have been helpful to our family to navigate the ups and downs of psoriatic arthritis. This event is a great way to connect patients to autoimmune arthritis information, resources, experts, and other patients from across the world.
#WAAD17 sheds light on "autoimmune arthritis," the types of arthritis that are autoimmune and inflammatory, which not only involve the joints, but can also affect tissues and organs. Rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, lupus, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis – our family's disease – all fall under autoimmune arthritis.
This online awareness event takes place May 20, 2017 for the duration of all time zones across the world. That's a continuous 47 hours! If you're in the Eastern Time Zone like me, you can start your engines on May 19 at 6 a.m.
The event mimics an actual car race and will include breaking news, awareness posters to rally support, 24 non-profit race teams, and informational kiosks, including one hosted by WEGO Health. #WAAD17 even includes NASCAR® sponsors and race car drivers.
All of this is to educate the public and offer support to those with various forms of autoimmune arthritis. The discussion also takes place on the WAAD Facebook and Twitter pages, so be sure to check out #WAAD17 on social media, too.
Drive for your favorite #WAAD17 non-profits and earn them points:
Follow your non-profits on Facebook and Twitter.
Like and share their posts and use #WAAD17 so the posts can be tracked.
Like and share WAAD Facebook and Twitter posts. Be sure to tag your non-profits and use #WAAD17.
Write your own awareness post. Be sure to tag your non-profits and use #WAAD17.
In an addition, five awareness posters will be shared on WAAD Facebook and Twitter pages, including the Age of Onset Awareness Poster that aims to bring awareness that autoimmune arthritis typically begins before age 40. And yes, kids get arthritis, too!
See you at the race track!
