Dysautonomia is a term that you may never have heard about before, and that’s why Dysautonomia Awareness Month is so important! The purpose of this occasion is to increase the support that people with this condition receive in their communities, as well as lowering diagnostic delays. Read on to discover more about Dysautonomia Awareness Month and why it is so important.
Dysautonomia is a term that is used to describe a number of different conditions that have an impact on the autonomic nervous symptom. It can come in many different forms, yet the key here is that the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is impacted. The ANS is imperative because it plays a number of key roles, including moderating the heart rate, keeping blood pressure steady, regulating breathing patterns, and maintaining a constant internal temperature. It is also involved in excretion, sexual arousal, and pupil dilation.
Fast Facts About Dysautonomia
- There is no single treatment that can address all Dysautonomias.
- The most common sort of Dysautonomias is neurocardiogenic syncope, which results in fainting. Millions of people around the world are impacted by this.
- Primary Dysautonomia tends to be due to a degenerative disease or it is inherited.
- Secondary Dysautonomias typically happen because of another injury or condition.
- There are approximately 15 different types of Dysautonomia.
History Of Dysautonomia Awareness Month
The first Dysautonomia Awareness Month was launched in October, 2012 by Dysautonomia International. Since then, more than 1,250 awareness activities have taken place all over the world. The color turquoise has been attributed to the month, and so one way that a lot of people show their support for dysautonomia is by wearing a turquoise ribbon on their clothing throughout October. This is also a great way to raise awareness because you can be sure that a lot of people will ask you why you are wearing such a ribbon, and this will give you the opportunity to explain that it is to raise awareness for dysautonomia and why this is important.
Observing Dysautonomia Awareness Month
There are a number of different ways that you can observe Dysautonomia Awareness month. For example, why not host a fundraising benefit? There are plenty of different ways that you can raise money and get lots of people involved. A classic bake sale never fails! After all, who doesn’t love a good slice of cake? From 5k runs and walks to yoga classes in your local park; the list is endless. All you need is something fun that plenty of people can get involved in. You then have the perfect recipe for raising awareness and donations! If you want to do something on a smaller scale, amongst family and friends, you can do a fundraising dinner or cook-off. You don’t have to do something on a community scale. We know that this is a massive undertaking, and every little bit definitely helps!
Here are some simple fundraising tips that can help you with this…
- Put together a list of potential donors, from co-workers to your friends and family members.
- Set a goal for your fundraising and continue to work toward it, and raise it. Whenever you are getting close, raise your goal some more. This will inspire you to keep working hard and achieving.
- Rather than sending emails, send handwritten letters first for a personal touch.
- Remember your inspiration – Dysautonomia.
- Use online fundraising tools to help you. There are some great tools out there that are going to help you to manage your fundraising efforts more effectively.
- Make it personal. People will donate because you are the one that is asking them to do so. Therefore, communicate your passion to people. This is a vital part of your fundraising success.
- You also need to make sure that you follow-up. It is common for a lot of people to put things off. Rather than simply ignoring you, they have probably got busy, as they have a lot of responsibilities on their plate. A simple reminder can make a massive difference.
- Send Thank You notes. It is important that people realize just how much you appreciate their efforts. Sending a note thanking someone for their donation and/or their effort can make them feel special and it will make them more inclined to help again in the future. After all, the effort to raise funds and awareness for Dysautonomia is a never-ending one.
It is also worth pointing out that there are many events that are going on around the world throughout October, many of which have been set up by Dysautonomia International, so it’s worth looking on their website to see if there are any in your area. This includes everything from educational courses to light celebrations, with some even starting at the end of September running right through until the start of November. Check these out every year to see if there is something going on near you!
Of course, there is no better way to observe Dysautonomia Awareness month than by raising some awareness. There are lots of different ways you can do this. Something as small as sharing some posts on Dysautonomia on your social media pages can make a massive difference. You will find lots of content and infographics online that can easily be shared with your friends and followers. This is a great way to get the message out and to spread the knowledge. You can also spend the day enhancing your own knowledge. There are lots of great resources online and books about the condition, so why not dedicate a portion of your day to reading these and finding out more about Dysautonomia?
As mentioned earlier, the color turquoise has become associated with this month, and you will find some great turquoise graphic downloads on the Dysautonomia International website. You can download these graphics for use on your website or social media profiles. You can also print them off and place them around the office, for example. It is an easy and effective way to spread the word.
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