World PANS PANDAS Awareness Day
Wed, Oct. 9, 2024
Champions raising awareness & support.
PANS PANDAS patients experience long delays in obtaining appropriate care. The more the public is aware, and health care professionals better understand the disease, the more they can extend support to individuals and families facing the systemic barriers of PANS PANDAS. To raise awareness for World PANS PANDAS Awareness Day (WPPAD) on Oct 9, we’re going #Red4PANS across Canada.
Why #Red4PANS?
- Colour of Inflammation – in short, inflammation is small blood vessels becoming wider (dilating), causing more blood to reach the affected tissue. For those battling PANS PANDAS, their inflammation is caused either by an infection invading the brain or through the immune system attacking the brain in error.
- Theme of Code Red – the emergency alert code used in hospitals is red. Talk with any PANS PANDAS family… when their child is in a ‘flare,’ an urgency response is accurate.
Get Involved with Awareness Day…
Since 2009, PANS PANDAS families & advocates around the world have been increasing public awareness and building community support every year on October 9 World PANS PANDAS Awareness Day.
Here’s a few easy ways you can be an IBA advocate!
LEADING UP TO AWARENESS DAY:
- Upload our Awareness Day Profile Frame – make a strong statement today on social media that puts you at the center of IBA’s cause.
ON AWARENESS DAY:
- Wear #Red4PANS! – Wear something red – maybe a red hat, shoes, umbrella, bow tie, or shirt. Be bold, ask your family & friends to join you! Also, let people know why you’re wearing red.
- Visit a #Red4PANS Landmark with family & friends and take 2 types of photos:
1) the #Red4PANS landmark
2) you (and your family/group) in front of the landmark holding a #Red4PANS poster
PDF downloads: 11×8.5 | 14×8.5 | 17×11
(preferred size – can be printed at Staples) - Share Photos On Social Media tagging IBA, the landmark using the hashtag #Red4PANS.
- Send Pics to photos@inflamedbrain.org & we’ll upload them to our new *flickr site.
Make a Donation
Until Oct. 31, you can donate to IBA’s first annual Steppin’ Out for PANS PANDAS fundraising walk held on September 23rd. The Canada-wide event was a great success, and an important step in helping bring together our PANS PANDAS kids and their families to form a supportive community. With our new charity being entirely volunteer driven and donor fuelled, your gift will help make our emerging work and impact possible.
Awareness Day Declarations & Proclamations
Declarations & Proclamations Issued
| Provinces & Territories | Cities & Towns |
| 2023 | British Columbia | 2023 | City of Calgary, AB |
| 2023 | Alberta | 2023 | City of Saskatoon, SK |
| 2023 | Saskatchewan | 2023 | Town of Newmarket, ON |
| 2016 | Ontario | Bill 43 | 2023 | City of Quinte West, ON |