Invisible Illness Awareness Week

September 14 – 20 2009
is National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week

While ‘National’ in the US, I think we Canucks can also spread the awareness of chronic illnesses that can not be readily seen.

What can you do?

• Post about the 30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know.. On your blog, on Facebook, Friendfeed, twitter, wherever you can be heard!
• Check out the Virtual conference at invisibleillnessweek.com with speakers and seminars all week, hosted through blogtalkradio.
• Share a seminar or speaker on your blog on your website, maybe ever write a review of what you thought of the topic of the speaker(s).. Check out the code for the feed just over half way down, titled “Want to Add Our Seminars to Your Web Site?”
• Put up a badge, National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week logo! Or check here or here or here
• Blog about chronic invisible illnesses.. Your chronic invisible illness.. Spread the word.. You are not alone!
• Follow the Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week information on Twitter
• Become a fan of Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week on Facebook!
• Add Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week as a friend on MySpace!
• Share media information on other happenings for Chronic Invisible Illness Awareness Week
• Post articles on Chronic Invisible Illness Awareness Week
• Share with your twitter friends info on Chronic Invisible Illness Awareness Week
• Invite your friends to join you in spreading the word, & joining the cause!

What are considered invisible diseases? Some examples..
Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Chronic Migraines, Lyme disease, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Sjogren’s Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, (Partial) Dysautonomia, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Myasthenia Gravis, Ulcerative Colitis, Endometriosis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Gastroparesis, GERD, Barrett’s Esophagus, Dilated Cardiomyopathy, Depression, Occipital neuralgia, Dystonia, Autoimmunity, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD), Epilepsy, Bipolar Disorder, Tourette Syndrome, Ulcerative Colitis, Otosclerosis, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Hypothyroidism Hyperthyroidism, Dysautonomia, Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia, Degenerative Disk Disease, Neuropathy, Optic Neuritis, Hypersomnia, Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS), Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Autoimmune Disease (UCTD), Cancer, Anorexia, Bulimia & Compulsive Overeating, PostTraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Schizophrenia, Heart Disease, Dementia.

Some of these names you’ve heard of, several I’m sure you haven’t.. I know there’s several I haven’t, but I have no reason to doubt the authenticity of the other authors of the “30 things you dunno” meme. They are the source of this list. I know there are many others but this gives you an idea of what varied conditions there are that fall under the category “Chronic Invisible Illnesses”. Be aware that 96% of all illness are considered “invisible” and you can’t usually see it.