One of the biggest tools we have to fight health conditions is the power of human connection. That’s why awareness months, weeks, and days are so important: They rally us together to spread awareness and show support.
Educational and fundraising events are often held at these times to create a ripple effect of positivity and empowerment for not only those living with health conditions, but their loved ones, too.
Sure, you’ve heard about the bigger awareness campaigns like Breast Cancer Awareness Month and World AIDS Day. But what about lesser-known ones, such as National Family Health History Day, Give Kids a Smile Day, or National Mediterranean Diet Month?
Keep track of the events you’re passionate about — and discover some new ones, too — with this 2020 calendar of health awareness events.
January
- Cervical Health Awareness Month
- National Birth Defects Prevention Month
- National Glaucoma Awareness Month
- National Radon Action Month
- National Stalking Awareness Month
- National Winter Sports Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Awareness Month
- Thyroid Awareness Month
- National Folic Acid Awareness Week (Jan. 5–11)
February
- AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month
- American Heart Month
- International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month
- National Children’s Dental Health Month
- Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
- African Heritage and Health Week (first week of February)
- Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week (Feb. 3–9)
- World Cancer Day (Feb. 4)
- National “Wear Red” Day for women’s heart health (Feb. 7)
- Give Kids a Smile Day (Feb. 7)
- Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week (Feb. 7–14)
- Heart Failure Awareness Week (Feb. 9–15)
- National Donor Day (Feb. 14)
- Condom Week (Feb. 14–21)
- Eating Disorders Awareness and Screening Week (Feb. 24–March 1)
March
- Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month
- National Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month
- National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
- National Endometriosis Awareness Month
- National Kidney Month
- National Nutrition Month
- National Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month
- Save Your Vision Month
- Trisomy Awareness Month
- National Sleep Awareness Week (March 1–7)
- National School Breakfast Week (March 2–6)
- Patient Safety Awareness Week (March 8–14)
- National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (March 10)
- World Kidney Day (March 12)
- World Sleep Day (March 13)
- National Poison Prevention Week (March 15–21)
- Brain Awareness Week (March 16–22)
- National Native American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (March 20)
- World Tuberculosis Day (March 24)
- American Diabetes Alert Day (March 24)
- Purple Day for epilepsy awareness (March 26)
- National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week (March 30–April 5)
- National Youth Violence Prevention Week (March 30–April 3)
April
- Alcohol Awareness Month
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Awareness Month
- National Autism Awareness Month
- National Child Abuse Prevention Month
- National Donate Life Month
- National Facial Protection Month
- National Minority Health Month
- National Sarcoidosis Awareness Month
- Occupational Therapy Month
- Oral Cancer Awareness Month
- Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
- Sexual Assault Awareness Month
- STD Awareness Month
- Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month
- National Minority Cancer Awareness Month
- National Public Health Week (April 6–12)
- National Alcohol Screening Day (April 7)
- Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) Day (April 5)
- World Health Day (April 7)
- National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (April 10)
- National Infertility Awareness Week (April 19–25)
- Every Kid Healthy Week (April 20–24)
- World Meningitis Day (April 24)
- World Immunization Week (April 24–30)
- National Infant Immunization Week (April 26–May 3)
May
- American Stroke Awareness Month
- Arthritis Awareness Month
- Better Hearing and Speech Month
- Clean Air Month
- Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month
- Food Allergy Action Month
- Global Employee Health and Fitness Month
- Healthy Vision Month
- Hepatitis Awareness Month
- International Mediterranean Diet Month
- Lupus Awareness Month
- Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month
- Mental Health Month
- National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
- National Celiac Disease Awareness Month
- National High Blood Pressure Education Month
- National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
- National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
- National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month
- Ultraviolet Awareness Month
- National Physical Education and Sport Week (May 1–7)
- North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (May 3–9)
- National Hurricane Preparedness Week (May 3–9)
- National Neuropathy Awareness Week (May 4–10)
- World Hand Hygiene Day (May 5)
- Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Awareness Day (May 9)
- National Women’s Health Week (May 10–16)
- National Stuttering Awareness Week (May 11–17)
- Food Allergy Awareness Week (May 12–18)
- National Alcohol- and Other Drug-Related Birth Defects Awareness Week (May 13–19)
- HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (May 18)
- National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (May 19)
- World Autoimmune Arthritis Day (May 20)
- World Preeclampsia Day (May 22)
- National Senior Health Fitness Day (May 27)
- Don’t Fry Day (May 29)
June
- Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
- Cataract Awareness Month
- Hernia Awareness Month
- Men’s Health Month
- Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month
- National Aphasia Awareness Month
- National Congenital Cytomegalovirus Awareness Month
- National Safety Month
- National Scleroderma Awareness Month
- Scoliosis Awareness Month
- National Cancer Survivors Day (June 7)
- Men’s Health Week (June 10–16)
- Family Health and Fitness Day (June 13)
- World Sickle Cell Day (June 19)
- PTSD Awareness Day (June 27)
- Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week (June 28–July 4)
July
- Cord Blood Awareness Month
- International Group B Strep Throat Awareness Month
- Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month
- National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month
- World Hepatitis Day (July 28)
August
- Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month
- Gastroparesis Awareness Month
- National Breastfeeding Month
- National Immunization Awareness Month
- Psoriasis Awareness Month
- World Breastfeeding Week (Aug. 1–7)
- National Health Center Week (Aug. 9–15)
September
- Blood Cancer Awareness Month
- Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
- Healthy Aging Month
- National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month
- National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
- National Cholesterol Education Month
- National Food Safety Education Month
- National ITP Awareness Month
- National Pediculosis Prevention Month/Head Lice Prevention Month
- National Preparedness Month
- National Recovery Month
- National Sickle Cell Month
- National Yoga Awareness Month
- Newborn Screening Awareness Month
- Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
- Pain Awareness Month
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Month
- Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
- Sepsis Awareness Month
- Sexual Health Awareness Month
- Sports Eye Safety Month
- World Alzheimer’s Month
- Usher Syndrome Awareness Day (third Saturday)
- National Suicide Prevention Week (Sept. 6–12)
- World Suicide Prevention Day (Sept. 10)
- World Sepsis Day (Sept. 13)
- National Celiac Disease Awareness Day (Sept. 13)
- National School Backpack Awareness Day (Sept. 16)
- National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (Sept. 18)
- Falls Prevention Day (Sept. 24)
- Sport Purple for Platelets Day (Sept. 25)
- World Rabies Day (Sept. 28)
- National Women’s Health and Fitness Day (Sept. 30)
- World Heart Day (Sept. 29)
October
- Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- Eye Injury Prevention Month
- Health Literacy Month
- Healthy Lung Month
- Home Eye Safety Month
- National ADHD Awareness Month
- National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- National Bullying Prevention Month
- National Dental Hygiene Month
- National Down Syndrome Awareness Month
- National Medical Librarians Month
- National Physical Therapy Month
- Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
- Spina Bifida Awareness Month
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month
- Mental Illness Awareness Week (Oct. 4–10)
- Malnutrition Awareness Week (Oct. 5–9)
- World Cerebral Palsy Day (Oct. 6)
- National Depression Screening Day (Oct. 8)
- World Mental Health Day (Oct. 10)
- Bone and Joint Health National Action Week (Oct. 12–20)
- Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day (Oct. 13)
- Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day (Oct. 15)
- National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (Oct. 15)
- International Infection Prevention Week (Oct. 16–22)
- World Food Day (Oct. 16)
- National Healthcare Quality Week (Oct. 18–24)
- World Pediatric Bone and Joint Day (Oct. 19)
- National Health Education Week (Oct. 20–24)
- International Stuttering Awareness Day (Oct. 22)
- Respiratory Care Week (Oct. 25–31)
- World Psoriasis Day (Oct. 29)
November
- American Diabetes Month
- Bladder Health Month
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Awareness Month
- Diabetic Eye Disease Month
- Lung Cancer Awareness Month
- National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month
- National Epilepsy Awareness Month
- National Family Caregivers Month
- National Healthy Skin Month
- National Hospice Palliative Care Month
- National Stomach Cancer Awareness Month
- Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
- Prematurity Awareness Month
- World Antibiotic Awareness Week (Nov. 11–17)
- World Prematurity Day (Nov. 17)
- GERD Awareness Week (Nov. 17–23)
- Great American Smokeout (Nov. 19)
- International Survivors of Suicide Day (Nov. 21)
- National Family Health History Day (Nov. 26)
December
- World AIDS Day (Dec. 1)
- National Handwashing Awareness Week (Dec. 6–12)