View source for International May 12th Awareness Day

{{short description|May 12th Awareness Day for ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, multiple chemical sensitivity, and others}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox holiday
| image         = Blue_ribbon.svg
| image_size    = 100px
| alt           = Blue awareness ribbon
| official_name = International May 12th Awareness Day
| nickname      = ME/CFS Awareness Day, International Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Awareness Day
| holiday_name  = International May 12th Awareness Day
| observances   =
| observedby    = Australia, Canada, UK, United States and others
| month         =
| date          = May 12
| scheduling    = same day each year
| duration      = 1 day
| frequency     = annual
| type          = International
| startedby     = Tom Hennessy
| firsttime     = 1993
| relatedto     = Severe ME Day (August 8th), ME/CFS Awareness Month (May), ME/CFS Awareness Week (second week of May)
| litcolor      = blue, purple, green
| significance  = Awareness of Chronic Immunological Neurological Diseases including ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, multiple chemical sensitivity, Gulf War syndrome, and others
| imagesize     =
}}
'''International May 12th Awareness Day''', also known as '''International ME/CFS Awareness Day''' is [[list of minor secular observances#May|held]] every year to [[consciousness raising|raise awareness]] of [[myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome]], [[fibromyalgia]], [[multiple chemical sensitivity]], [[Gulf War syndrome]] and other chronic immunological and neurological diseases (CIND).<ref name="CDC_Awareness">{{cite web |date=10 May 2024 |title=ME/CFS Awareness Day |url=https://www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/awareness-day/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517200059/https://www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/awareness-day/ |archive-date=17 May 2024 |access-date=27 September 2024 |publisher=U.S. [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]]}}</ref><ref name="IAD">{{cite web | title=May 12th | website=May 12th | date=2023-03-20 | url=https://may12th.org/ | access-date=2024-09-27}}</ref>
International May 12th Awareness Day aims to:
* Increase [[public awareness of science|public awareness]] of the importance of ME/CFS, [[fibromyalgia]], [[multiple chemical sensitivity]], [[Gulf War syndrome]] and other chronic immunological and neurological diseases (CIND)
* Educate about the symptoms and impact of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and other CINDs
* Advocate for increased research funding, particularly for ME/CFS and fibromyalgia
* Many fundraising events take place on May 12
== Illnesses ==
The main illnesses involved in International May 12th Awareness Day are ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, multiple chemical sensitivity, and Gulf War syndrome.<ref>{{Cite web|title=25 Facts for Fibromyalgia Awareness Day|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/25-facts-for-fibromyalgia-awareness-day_b_59148663e4b01ad573dac1c2|last=Rios|first=Puja|date=2017-05-11|website=HuffPost|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-05-31}}</ref>
Other Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases also recognized by the event include [[Addison's disease|Addison's]], [[Alzheimer's disease|Alzheimer's]], [[autism]], [[Coeliac disease|celiac]], [[Myofascial pain syndrome|chronic myofascial pain]], [[Crohn's disease|Crohn's]], [[epilepsy]], [[Irritable bowel syndrome|irritable bowel disease]] (IBD), [[Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis|Lou Gehrig's]] (ALS), [[lupus]], [[Lyme disease]], mold/biotoxin illness, [[multiple sclerosis]] (MS), [[orthostatic intolerance]] (OI), [[Parkinson's disease|Parkinson's]], [[postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome]] (POTS), [[Complex regional pain syndrome|reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome]] (RSD), and [[ulcerative colitis]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-04-29|title=CIND Illnesses {{!}} May 12th International Awareness Day|url=https://www.may12th.org/illnesses/|access-date=2021-08-13|language=en-CA}}</ref>
== Events ==
International May 12th Awareness Day is observed by dying hair blue or dressing up in  blue.<ref>{{Cite web|title=May 12 is ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia International Awareness Day|url=https://www.nih.gov/research-training/medical-research-initiatives/mecfs/me-cfs-fibromyalgia-international-awareness-day|date=2017-05-12|website=National Institutes of Health (NIH)|language=EN|access-date=2020-05-31}}</ref> Since 2016, the #MillionsMissing protests for ME/CFS have taken place every May, with the main event held on May 12.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ludlam|first=Scott|date=2018-05-11|title=To the #MillionsMissing with ME/CFS, something remarkable is happening {{!}} Scott Ludlam|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/12/to-the-millionsmissing-with-mecfs-something-remarkable-is-happening|access-date=2020-05-31|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Film screenings are usually held for films about ME/CFS, including ''Voices from the Shadows'', ''Forgotten Plague'', or [[Unrest (2017 film)|''Unrest'']].<ref>{{Cite web|title=MP Nicky Morgan to raise awareness of ME illness|url=https://www.loughboroughecho.net/news/local-news/mp-nicky-morgan-raise-awareness-14639597|last=Rush|first=Andy|date=2018-05-10|website=loughborough|access-date=2020-05-31}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Award winning documentary film about M.E. to be shown at Penarth Pier Pavilion|url=https://www.penarthtimes.co.uk/news/11162724.award-winning-documentary-film-about-me-to-be-shown-at-penarth-pier-pavilion/|website=Penarth Times|date=April 22, 2014 |language=en|access-date=2020-05-31}}</ref> Public landmarks are lit up in color for International May 12th Awareness Day, typically using blue for ME and purple for [[fibromyalgia]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hope for ME: Co Down woman's campaign for the thousands living with chronic fatigue syndrome|url=http://www.irishnews.com/lifestyle/2018/05/02/news/campaigning-for-hope-for-the-thousands-living-with-debilitating-condition-me-1318377/|last=Lee|first=Jenny|date=2018-05-02|website=The Irish News|language=en|access-date=2020-05-29}}</ref><ref name="Griffith2014">{{Cite web|title=Griffith Health turns purple and blue|url=https://news.griffith.edu.au/2014/05/12/griffith-health-turns-purple-and-blue-all-over/|last=|first=|date=12 May 2014|website=news.griffith.edu.au|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-05-31}}</ref>
==History==
In 2006 a British charity created Severe ME Awareness Day on August 8 as a day of remembrance and understanding for those who died from or with ME.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Connolly-Forster|first=Ethan|date=2020-05-24|title=Severely ill singer 'overwhelmed' by album support|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-52768716|access-date=2020-05-31}}</ref> August 8 was chosen because it is the birthday of [[Sophia Mirza]], who was believed to be the first British person to have chronic fatigue syndrome listed as a cause of death.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Millions suffer from an invisible disease: My ME/CFS story|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/08/health/iyw-ryan-me-cfs-story/index.html|first=Ryan |last=Prior|website=CNN|date=8 August 2018|access-date=2020-05-31}}</ref>
==Related observances==
* 5/1 – 5/31: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Awareness Month
* 5/1 – 5/31: Fibromyalgia Awareness Month
* 5/1 - 5/31: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Awareness Month<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Floyd|first1=Patricia A.|url=|title=Personal Health: Perspectives and Lifestyles|last2=Mimms|first2=Sandra E.|last3=Yelding|first3=Caroline|date=2007-06-25|publisher=Cengage Learning|isbn=978-1-111-79891-8|location=|pages=528|language=en}}</ref>
* Week of May 12: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Awareness Week
* 8/8: Severe ME Awareness Day
==References==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:May observances]]
[[Category:Awareness days]]
[[Category:Observances in the United States]]
[[Category:Observances in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Observances in Canada]]
[[Category:Health awareness days]]
[[Category:Gulf War syndrome]]
[[Category:Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome]]