‘Stronger together’: Rheumatology groups build community for Autoimmune Awareness Month
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March is Autoimmune Awareness Month, and rheumatology organizations have been using their reach and influence on social media sites to spread the word and help patients with autoimmune diseases find community.
“This month presents a unique opportunity for patients, caregivers, health care providers and advocates from across autoimmune therapeutic areas to collectively raise our voices to drive change,” the Autoimmune Association said in a press release. “Awareness is an essential component to accelerating education, research and patient-centered policy reform.”
Among its efforts, the Autoimmune Association is asking patients to share their experiences. Specifically on Twitter, the group is using its platform to encourage its more than 5,000 followers to share their stories in the community.
“Sharing your experience with others builds our community and has the unique ability to support and inspire others,” the Autoimmune Association website said.
In addition to the Autoimmune Association, the Lupus Association has tweeted about the month, specifically pointing out that awareness months like this one help to “improve diagnosis, care and treatments and expand research for the over 50 million Americans with autoimmune disease.”
Although not focused solely on rheumatology news in the United States, the International Foundation for Autoimmune & Autoinflammatory Arthritis has retweeted several accounts spreading helpful information and resources for patients with autoimmune diseases.
ACR Simple Tasks, a public awareness campaign created by the American College of Rheumatology, also shared tweets throughout the month encouraging patients with autoimmune disease to share their stories with the larger community.
“Living with an autoimmune disease can be daunting, complex and challenging,” the Autoimmune Association’s website said. “Whether you are just beginning your autoimmune journey, or have been living with autoimmune disease for years, we’re stronger together.”
References:
- Share your autoimmune story. https://autoimmune.org/get-involved/individuals/share-your-story/. Accessed March 18, 2022.
- @AutoimmuneAssoc. https://twitter.com/AutoimmuneAssoc/status/1504095572197847048. March 16, 2022. Accessed March 18, 2022.
- @LADAOrg. https://twitter.com/LADAOrg/status/1499078747923832832. March 2, 2022. Accessed March 18, 2022.
- @AMLeahy. https://twitter.com/AMLeahy/status/1500963503137443841. March 7, 2022. Accessed March 18, 2022.
- @ACRSimpleTasks. https://twitter.com/ACRSimpleTasks/status/1503021822689824768. March 13, 2022. Accessed March 18, 2022.
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