You can help members of the Turner Syndrome (TS) community and protect the environment at the same time. Learn more about environmentally friendly ways to promote TS awareness and how to support the Turner Syndrome Foundation (TSF), while also doing your part to save our beautiful planet.
Advocate for TS Awareness
When it comes to an important and interesting cause to fundraise for, nothing is as unique as TS awareness. This cause is:
- an issue that is still not well-known,
- a condition that most likely effects someone in your community right now, and
- a cause that empowers those living with TS and their family/caretakers.
What Is TS?
TS is a genetic condition that affects 1 out of 2,000 babies born female. This means that someone in your community likely has TS, and you don’t even know it!
TS is caused by a biological female’s cells having an incomplete pair of XX chromosomes, instead of having a complete set of 23 chromosome pairs (46 chromosomes). Chromosomes hold the cells’ DNA, which controls the cells’ functions. Typically, females have XX chromosome pairs in their cells, and males have XY chromosome pairs.
There are two types of TS:
- Monosomy X is when a person is missing one chromosome in the pair. Instead of 46 chromosomes, the person has only 45 chromosomes. This means a person with TS has only one X chromosome in their 23rd pair.
- Mosaic TS is when there are chromosome changes in only some cells, but not all. A small number of cases have the normal number of 46 chromosomes, but with part of the X chromosome missing.
This lack of complete chromosome pairs causes individuals with TS to have many health challenges, which can include:
- physical challenges such as heart disease, liver health problems, thyroid health problems, hearing loss, and short stature;
- cognitive/emotional challenges like anxiety, non-verbal learning disorder (NVLD), ADHD, and low self-esteem; and
- social challenges, such as shyness and social anxiety.
About TSF, and Why You Should Help
TSF is a non-profit organization headquartered in Hazlet, New Jersey. TSF works to support the TS community by:
- raising awareness about TS and the diverse set of challenges it creates for the TS community;
- supporting research that explores ways to better diagnose, treat, and care for individuals with TS;
- building new resources that assist medical professionals & teachers with understanding TS and how to help their patients/students who have it;
- encouraging and teaching members of the TS community and their supporters how to advocate for improved diagnosis and treatment procedures; and
- teaching and encouraging members of the TS community and their supporters how to advocate for more policies and research that support the TS community’s wellbeing.
By supporting TSF with fundraisers and other initiatives that help spread TS awareness, you are helping a community of TS patients, their loved ones, researchers, teachers, and medical professionals empower those with TS to live happier and healthier lives.
Environmentally Friendly Ways To Spread TS Awareness
There are many fun, environmentally friendly ways to promote TS awareness and fundraise for TSF. Here are some ideas:
- Use an organization like InkRecycling.org or Funding Factory to recycle printer cartridges. Collect recycled ink cartridges from your community and send them to a recycler, who would then send the money raised to TSF.
- Hold a trash collection event. Have people in your community work together to clean up trash in your area. Then, go to your local recyclers to collect any money earned for recycling. The money can be donated afterwards to TSF.
- Hold a TS t-shirt fundraiser with environmentally sustainable t-shirt makers. A percentage of the sales proceeds goes to TSF. Not only does this help reduce the amount of pollution from the fabrics industry, but the t-shirts’ TS design can help spread awareness. There are many eco-friendly companies online; here is one article with a list.
- Have a text message campaign to advocate for legislation changes that help the TS community. Text message campaigns are environmentally friendly because no materials are needed, except cell phones and people who are ready to help the TS community.
- Hold an organic art sale where people can buy organic, recycled, or upcycled products from local artists. Proceeds can go towards TSF. This would help reduce waste in the environment while supporting local community artists.
- Hold a clothing drive so you can help your community recycle and repurpose clothing, with proceeds going to TSF.
- Have a fair-trade product sale where you sell products such as chocolate, coffee, tea, clothes, etc., with the proceeds going to TSF. Spread the word on social media and in your community, to get many people supporting local businesses, the environment and the TS community.
- Spread TS awareness and help keep your community active. Hold a walk-a-thon, dance-a-thon, or other sports-related fundraisers. You can talk about how proceeds from the events go to TSF, as well as what TSF’s mission.
- Spread social media awareness about TS. All you need is to take a video or photo and talk about your TS story, or link one of TSF’s pages and make a comment on it on social media, encouraging people to join. You can even use Instagram stickers to add to your TS awareness posts!
- Sign the TS petition. This is an environmentally friendly way to support the TS community’s push for improved treatment and diagnosis procedures and research. All you need to do to sign the petition is click here and enter your name, email address, and the state you’re from. If you want, you can also add your connection to the TS community or how you learned about TS in the Story section.
- Have conversations with your loved ones, doctors, or others with whom you want to talk about TS. All you need is your voice, a time that you feel comfortable talking about it, and someone who’s willing to listen and learn.
- Have a yard sale fundraiser for TSF. Not only does this help recycle or upcycle stuff from your home, but it also helps spread TS awareness and raise money for TSF.
- Set up a second-hand shop online and have your purchase proceeds go towards TSF’s cause. Poshmark is a great place to do this. Not only would you reduce the amount of pollution created by manufacturers, but you also raise money for TSF and have the chance to spread TS awareness online in Poshmark’s community.
- Set up a seedling sale, where people purchase seeds and you plant the seeds for them. The money can go towards TSF. This helps people take care of Earth’s ozone layer as well as help raise awareness and money for the TS community.
TSF is a great organization that helps individuals with TS live happier and healthier lives. We hope that you learned about some fun, environmentally friendly ways to promote TS awareness while saving the planet and connecting with your own community.
Written by Liz Rivera, TSF staff, and edited by Susan Herman, volunteer blog editor.
Turner Syndrome Foundation: What Is Turner Syndrome?
Turner Syndrome Foundation: Symptoms of Turner Syndrome
TSF: Cognitive Issues with Turner Syndrome
Turner Syndrome Foundation-Social Anxiety
Turner Syndrome Foundation-Sharing the Diagnosis of Turner Syndrome
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