“Alone we are rare. Together we are strong. ” This is the trademark for the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. (NORD), US Sponsor of International Rare Disease Day. NORD is one of over 66 National Alliances (rare disease patient advocacy organizations) representing over 100 countries and regions all over the world, referred to as “Rare Disease Day Partners.” The month of February was designated “Rare Disease Awareness Month” by the European advocacy group “EURODIS” in 2008; that year, the first International Rare Disease Day was held on February 29. EURODIS acts as the central coordinator among the “Rare Disease Day Partners,” patients with rare diseases, and the global community at large to create unified messages and visual materials to raise awareness for rare diseases and the individuals who live with them. “Rare Disease Day” is a recognized day created to bring awareness and subsequent empowerment, community, and equity to over 300 million people worldwide fighting any of approximately 6,000 known rare diseases. This February marks the 15th “Rare Disease Awareness Month,” and February 28 will be the 15th annual “Rare Disease Day.” Ultimately, the objectives of Rare Disease Day are to ensure equal access to treatment and healthcare, to create more equitable social opportunities for those fighting rare diseases (higher education, jobs, etc.), and to simultaneously reduce stigmatization through social inclusion. Furthermore, through raising awareness, EURODIS and its Rare Disease Day Partners aim to find means to fund research for more effective and life-saving therapies as well as to minimize the time it takes to diagnose a person with any given rare disease. 
 
“Rare Disease Day” utilizes the narratives of “real life Rare Disease” “heroes” to identify common challenges faced by those with rare diseases to connect patients as well as their caregivers into a strengthened global community. For 2022, there are 16 “hero” community members from around the world who have agreed to share their stories with the world for the purposes of rare disease advocacy (rarediseadeday.org). Every Rare Disease Day bas a specific “Call to Action;” for 2022, the Call to Action has been named “Share Your Colours;” a means of representing individuals with rare diseases utilizing vibrant colors to express positivity, strength, and diversity of the individuals who make up the 300 million rare disease patients worldwide. By utilizing art and simple creative images, this “Rare Disease Day” will become accessible to many more people throughout the world.

Please read Part Two!