Campaigns
Social media online campaigns play a crucial role in raising awareness for arthritis, disability, invisible illnesses, chronic illnesses, the list goes on. These campaigns actively engage with individuals, encouraging them to take action and support the cause or create their own awareness online.
Through vibrant and interactive content, they educate the public about the impact of arthritis on individuals’ lives, highlighting personal stories and experiences. Social media platforms provide a space for people to share their journeys, connect with others facing similar challenges, and access resources and support networks.
By continuously sharing updates and information, social media campaigns ensure that arthritis remains a prominent topic of discussion and that the community remains well-informed. Online campaigns also facilitate the sharing of fundraising events, volunteer opportunities, and community initiatives, encouraging individuals to actively contribute and make a difference in the lives of those affected by arthritis.
Social media provides the perfect platform to amplify arthritis awareness, drive action, and create a united community dedicated to combatting this debilitating condition.
Important Awareness Dates
- February 2 – Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day – #RheumatoidArthritisAwarenessDay
- May – Arthritis Awareness Month in the US – #ArthritisAwarenessMonth
- September – Arthritis Awareness Month in Canada – #ArthritisAwarenessMonth
- September – Pain Awareness Month in the US – #PainAwarenessMonth
- September – Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month in the US – #RDAM
- September 12-17 – Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Week in the UK
- October 7-13 – National Arthritis Week 2023 UK- Arthritis Research UK
- October 12 – World Arthritis Awareness Day – #WorldArthritisAwarenessDay
- October 15-21- Invisible Disabilities Week #InvisibleDisabilitiesWeek
- December 3 – International Day of People With Disabilities – #InternationalDayOfPeopleWithDisabilities
Arthritis Awareness Month Participation
September is Arthritis Awareness Month in Canada, these are some of the content I have created or been apart of.
Media Planet Arthritis Awareness Campaigns
Media Planet Canada each year hosts a Bone & Joint awareness campaign which I have taken part of a number of times!
- Toronto Star – Untreated, rheumatoid arthritis can devastate lives. Properly treated, it’s a different story
- Health Insight – How Young Is Too Young to Be High Risk for COVID-19
- Health Insight – Rheumatoid Arthritis Is Painful — This Invisible Symptom Is Often Worse
- Reader’s Digest Canada– Bone and Joint Campaign October 2018
- Future of Personal Health News – A Patient’s Perspective on Adjusting to Life With Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Health Insight – Untreated, Rheumatoid Arthritis Can Be Devastating — With Proper Treatment, There’s Hope
Talk Over RA
A campaign is organized every year in Canada to discuss remission with rheumatoid arthritis, and each year I actively participate. The primary objective of this campaign is to empower rheumatoid arthritis patients by enhancing their knowledge about remission and equipping them with effective communication skills to engage with their rheumatologists.
Learn more about the Talk Over RA campaign here
Coming soon!
Fiercely Fighting Rheumatoid Arthritis NY Fashion Week Campaign with Michael Kuluva and Global Healthy Living Foundation
In 2021 I partnered with fashion designer and fellow rheumatoid arthritis advocate Michael Kuluva to create some RA awareness T-shirts for his fashion label Tumbler and Tipsy, which for years has partnered with CreakyJoints on its New York Fashion Week shows to raise awareness for arthritis and chronic illness.
The campaign continued for World Arthritis Day where those with arthritis took part on social media explaining what it means to fiercely fight their arthritis.
Read my Creaky Joints essay about the tshirts and partnering with Michael Kuluva.
#WhatYouDontSee
The #WhatYouDontSee hashtag, along with the #DisabledPeopleAreHot hashtag are two of my favorite completely natural, grassroots unplanned social media campaigns that people living with a disability or invisible illness created a stir on social media.
#DisabledPeopleAreHot
In 2019 Disability awareness consultant Andrew Gurza started the hashtag because disabled people are so often desexualized and infantilized, and aimed to change this. The hashtag went viral and one of my photos made news in the UK!
- Daily Mail UK – ‘Disabled people are hot’ goes viral as people with disabilities share their sexiest selfies, saying: ‘Don’t doubt us because our bodies don’t look like yours’
- BBC News – Hot, disabled and not afraid to show it
#HighRiskCovid19
Coming soon
#MyStills Disease Poster Campaign
Coming soon