World Vitiligo Day - June 25th

Target: United Nations

Sponsored by - Vitiligo Support and Awareness Foundation (VITSAF)

Please show your support for adopting June 25th as World Vitiligo Day:

To United Nations (UN) ,

WORLD VITILIGO DAY

Having an unusual appearance can be particularly difficult in a society that places a strong emphasis on physical appearance, and one in which we are constantly exposed to images of the idealised ‘perfect’ body and face. The psychological implications for people with visual differences such as Vitiligo can be immense.

World Vitiligo Day Initiative is the international awareness day for all Vitiligo persons, organization and support groups.

• It is our collective effort to drive extensive global Vitiligo Awareness, to help ease the psychological effects of Vitiligo,
• Effectively educate the public and bring Vitiligo cause to World center stage.
• To help alleviate the misunderstanding of the public, neglect and underestimation of both the public and medical community and
• Improve our Quality of Life (QoL), self-esteem as well as self-confidence of the affected.

What is VITILIGO?

Vitiligo is a multifactorial skin depigmenting disorder with an etiology (the cause and progress of the disorder) not well understood. Most devastating for the patient with Vitiligo are the social, psychological, emotional and sexual ramifications of these disfiguring disorders. More on www.vitsaf.org

Vitiligo is a very disfiguring, devastating condition which can affect anyone.  In a society obsessed by appearance and where physical appearance is celebrated you can feel just helpless when your appearance is threatened, often stigmatized, traumatized, and ostracized. Children are frequently teased and ridiculed by their peers. Adults experience low self-esteem, job discrimination and it interferes with relationships and marriage

http://www.vitsaf.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Vitiligo-Pics.jpg

Our goal?

Our target is 100,000 signature petitions to address the United Nations in order to:

• Recognize this neglected and debilitating disease associated with severe social complications,
• Recognize the urgent need to pursue multilateral efforts in therapy development and health-care education, and ultimately to
• Designate June 25 as the World Vitiligo Day to be observed by the United Nations and Member States every year, for the prevention, treatment and care of Vitiligo in line with the sustainable development of national health-care systems
• And to improve quality of life (QoL) of persons distressed by Vitiligo, improve the public¡¦s understanding of the condition and ultimately achieve extensive Vitiligo Awareness Globally.

Why June 25th is suggested as World Vitiligo Day

June 25th is a significant date in the Vitiligo calendar because it marks the passing date of pop-star Michael Jackson, the most famous man that lived with Vitiligo. His life with Vitiligo brought awareness to Vitiligo as most people heard about Vitiligo for the first time as it concerns Michael Jackson and today some already refer to Vitiligo as Michael Jackson¡¦s disease. His death attracted about 4millions hits on Vitiligo websites in a few days. Michael Jackson even in death is still being misunderstood about his change in skin color, a kind of misunderstanding majority with Vitiligo still face today.

Our hope is that by having a special day set aside, we will raise and create extensive Vitiligo education, awareness and enlightenment in the public and medical community thereby improving Quality of Life (QoL) of persons living with Vitiligo and the disfigured.

As one living with the condition and running a Vitiligo organisation , this is a great need in the global Vitiligo community. Extensive Vitiligo will sure help impact positively Quality of Life (QoL) of persons living with Vitiligo.

AWARENESS is key! Please join us, Help us raise vitiligo awareness globally, in all countries of the world, add your name to our petition to make June 25th WORLD VITILIGO DAY!

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERNECE! YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Mr. Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon please hear our voice. We know you can encourage Member States to respect our rights. Please pursue policies supportive of neglected disease collaboration, vitiligo in particular.

A special thank you to my support team and to you for supporting our continued efforts!