Join us to raise awareness on 20 October 2022
Download our International Mastocytosis & Mast Cell Diseases Awareness Day social media kit (ZIP file)
For the past five years, October 20 means so much more to those familiar with mast cell diseases – specifically Mastocytosis, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) and Hereditary Alpha Tryptasemia (HaT).
The International Mastocytosis & Mast Cell Diseases Awareness Day aims to raise awareness of the need for improved diagnosis and disease management, enhanced access to appropriate care, established WHO criteria for MCAS, increased support and information, and bring awareness of these disorders that can range from benign to life-threatening. We hope that this day will lift the hopes of mast cell patients.
2022 Awareness Day Social Media Kit
This year we have developed an International Mastocytosis & Mast Cell Diseases Awareness Day social media kit that you can use to help raise awareness about mast cell diseases during the upcoming international Mast Cell and Mastocytosis Awareness Day taking place on October 20, 2022.
This year’s campaign tagline is “Say what you need” with the objective of encouraging patients to advocate for themselves in their day-to-day lives.
We have developed a number of tiles with some key needs of our patients – but this is not an exhaustive list, and we invite you to make your own. In addition, we have developed frames (blank, transparent images) for you to share with your patients, caregivers and families so they can make their own.
Here are some ideas for how you can use these tools:
- Add your mast cell disease organisation’s logo to the information slides in the white block at the bottom middle of the image
- Make your own – use the blank, transparent frames to add your own messages and photos to the image
- Share these through your social media channels (email lists, Facebook, Instagram, Linked In, etc.) Consider sending out one per day during the time leading up to October 20.
- Or share them from the International Awareness Day pages to your Group and personal pages – on Facebook – follow us @mmcdawarenessday and on Instagram – follow us @mastcellawarenessday
- Encourage patients and caregivers in your network to share this on their social media channels.
- Contact any doctors or nurses you know who are working with mast cell diseases and ask them to promote these materials to their network (some hospitals and clinics might be willing to send these out, but will need advance notice)
- Reach out to local news stations—television, radio, newspaper, etc.—and provide the materials to them. They may be willing to share the materials and might even want to report on Awareness Day.
Share your recognition and awareness-raising activities on social media with the below hashtags and be sure to tag and follow us on Facebook and Instagram – be sure to use the following hashtags in your post to help us find them:
#MCDday #MCAS #mastocytosis #MCAD #HaT #SayWhatYouNeed #KnowYourMastCells
Download the 2022 Awareness Day social media kit – we have developed a set that works for both Facebook and Instagram – both are located within this .zip file. Within you will find the following types of posts.
- Countdown images
- Today is Awareness Day (x 2)
- Say what you need – blank images (two with photos and two transparent images to allow you to put your own message or photo behind the frame)
- Say what you need – with key needs provided by a range of patients
- Local support – how to find support (request this template to edit in Canva for your organisation)
- Some blank images for you to use to make your own campaign
Download one of our transparent frames and add your message to post and share – simply right click and save as.
Using Canva or a photo editing tool on your phone, can you insert a photo or image behind the frame like this – simply right click and save as:
Share your recognition and awareness-raising activities on social media with the below hashtags and be sure to tag and follow us on Facebook and Instagram – be sure to use the following hashtags in your post to help us find them:
#MCDday #MCAS #mastocytosis #MCAD #HaT #SayWhatYouNeed #KnowYourMastCells
You may have other ideas and suggestions. If so, please pass those ideas along to our network of advocacy groups.
Download the Awareness Day logo in 16 languages
Our Awareness Day logo was intentionally crafted to include both “mastocytosis” and “mast cell diseases” in the same size font, for equal representation. The mast cell icon depicted has “receptors” and seems to be spilling its contents during degranulation. The color purple was chosen to represent the color of the stain that researchers use in their slides.
The Awareness Day logo is currently available in the following languages: Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Hungarian. Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovene and Spanish.
Download the Awareness Day logo.
Share your photos with the International Community
Help us increase awareness of International Mastocytosis & Mast Cell Diseases Awareness Day and our global mast cell diseases community. Share your photos with us for our Awareness Day Photo Gallery and our Facebook and Instagram accounts. Email us your Awareness Day photos (make sure you seek permission from the people in the photos to share the photos with us).
The Awareness Day Ribbon
The Awareness Day ribbon has dots to represent the spots/hives/rashes that many mast cell patients deal with. The purple color represents the color stain that researchers use to identify mast cells.
Global Support
The Awareness Day Committee is expanding the Global Support page on our website to include support groups from all over the world. To have your support group considered, please send us the details of your group via our contact page. Include the group name, a short description of your purpose, website and social media links and a contact name and email address. Submit your support group for consideration.