2018 Public Health Observances Calendar

National Wellness Institute’s 2018 HEALTH & WELLNESS OBSERVANCES CALENDAR

JANUARY 2018

Cervical Health Awareness Month January 15 (Martin Luther King Day) National Cervical Cancer Coalition King Day of Service www.nccc-online.org Corporation for National and Community Service www.mlkday.gov National Birth Defects Prevention Month March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation January 21 – 27 www.marchofdimes.com National Certified Nurse Anesthetists Week or American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Center for Disease Control & Prevention www.aana.com www.cdc.gov

National Blood Donor Month American Association of Blood Banks www.aabb.org or American Red Cross www.redcross.org

National Glaucoma Awareness Month Glaucoma Research Foundation www.glaucoma.org

FEBRUARY 2018

AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month February 7 (First Wednesday in February) Prevent Blindness America National Girls & Women in Sports Day www.preventblindness.org Women’s Sports Foundation www.womenssportsfoundation.org/en/home/ American Heart Month advocate/ngwsd Contact your local chapter of the American Heart Association February 2 or National Wear Red Day AHA National Center The Heart Truth—a National Awareness Campaign for www.americanheart.org Women About Heart Disease www.cdc.gov National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Health Information Center National Cancer Prevention Month www.hearttruth.gov American Institute for Cancer Research or www.aicr.org Women Heart American Cancer Society www.womenheart.org www.cancer.org or Go Red For Women Cause Initiatives National Children’s Dental Health Month American Heart Association National Center American Dental Association www.goredforwomen.org www.ada.org February 11 – 17 National Condom Month National Cardiac Rehabilitation Week American Sexual Health Association AACVPR Office www.ashasexualhealth.org www.aacvpr.org

Wise Health Consumer Month February 11 – 17 American Institute for Preventive Medicine Random Acts of Kindness Week www.healthylife.com Random Acts of Kindness Foundation www.randomactsofkindness.org

February 22 (Same date each year) World Thinking Day World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts www.worldthinkingday.org

MARCH 2018

American Red Cross Month National Athletic Training Month American Red Cross, National Headquarters National Athletic Training Association or contact your local chapter www.nata.org www.redcross.org March 1 – 6 Brain Injury Awareness Month Aplastic Anemia and MDS Week Brain Injury Association of America Aplastic Anemia and MDS Internl, Inc. www.biausa.org www.aamds.org

Hemophilia Month March 2 – 9 (week before daylight savings time) National Hemophilia Foundation National Sleep Awareness Week www.hemophilia.org National Sleep Foundation www.sleepfoundation.org National Colorectal Awareness Month Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation March 5 – 9 www.preventcancer.org/colorectal National School Breakfast Week School Nutrition Association National Developmental Disabilities www.schoolnutrition.org Awareness Month The Arc of the United States March 11 – 17 www.thearc.org National Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week American Association of Cardiovascular and National Eye Donor Month Pulmonary Rehabilitation EBAA, Eye Bank Association of America www.aacvpr.org www.restoresight.org March 14 National Kidney Month Kick Butts Day National Kidney Foundation Campaign for Tobacco–Free Kids www.kidney.org www.kickbuttsday.org

National Nutrition Month March 18 – 24 (third week in March) Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics National Poison Prevention Week www.eatright.org Poison Prevention Council www.poisonprevention.org National Problem Gambling Awareness Month The National Council on Problem Gambling, Inc. March 20 (same date each year) www.ncpgambling.org National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day www.hiv.gov/events/awareness-days National Professional Social Work Month National Association of Social Workers March 22 (same date each year) www.socialworkers.org World Water Day UN Water Save Your Vision Month www.unwater.org American Optometric Association www.aoa.org March 27 (fourth Tuesday in March) American Diabetes Alert Day Workplace Eye Health and Safety Month American Diabetes Association Prevent Blindness America www.diabetes.org www.preventblindness.org

APRIL 2018

National Occupational Therapy Month National Alcohol Awareness Month The American Occupational Therapy Association SAMSHA’s National Clearinghouse for www.aota.org Alcohol & Drug Information www.ncadd.org Sexual Assault Awareness Month National Sexual Violence Resource Center National Autism Awareness Month www.nsvrc.org Autism Society www.autism-society.org Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month Prevent Blindness America National Cancer Control Month www.preventblindness.org Contact your local chapter or American Cancer Society Testicular Cancer Awareness Month www.cancer.org www.testicularcancerawarenessmonth.com

National Child Abuse Prevention Month March 19 – 23 Prevent Child Abuse America National Youth Violence Prevention Week www.preventchildabuse.org National Association of SAVE or www.nationalsave.org Child Welfare Information Gateway Children’s Bureau/ACYF April 2 – 8 www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/ National Public Health Week preventionmonth American Public Health Association www.nphw.org Counseling Awareness Month American Counseling Association (ACA) April 4 (first Wednesday of April) www.counseling.org National Day of Hope Childhelp National Donate Life Month www.childhelp.org HRSA Information Center www.organdonor.gov April 6 – 8 (first weekend in April) Alcohol-Free Weekend Stress Awareness Month National Council on Alcoholism and American Counseling Association (ACA) Drug Dependence, Inc. www.counseling.org www.ncadd.org

National Humor Month April 7 Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor National Alcohol Screening Day www.aath.org Screening for Mental Health, Inc. www.mentalhealthscreening.org National Minority Health & Health Disparities Month Office of Minority Health Resource Center www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov

(APRIL, CONTINUED)

April 7 (same date each year) April 20 – 22 World Health Day Global Youth Service Day World Health Organization Youth Service America www.who.org www.gysd.org

April 8 – 14 April 22 (same date annually) National Library Week Earth Day American Library Association Earth Day Network www.ala.org www.earthday.net

April 14 (same date annually) April 22 – 28 International Moment of Laughter Day National Environmental Education Week (eeweek) Izzy Gesell, Wide Angle Humor National Environmental Education Foundation www.izzyg.com www.eeweek.org

April 15 – 21 (third week of April) April 23 – 29 National Volunteer Week Medical Fitness Week The Points of Light and Hands on Network Medical Fitness Association www.PointsofLight.org www.medicalfitness.org

April 16 (same date annually) April 26 (fourth Thursday April) National Healthcare Decisions Day Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day www.nhdd.org Daughters And Sons To Work® Day www.daughtersandsonstowork.org April 21 – 27 National Infant Immunization Week CDC, National Immunization Program www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/index.html

MAY 2018

Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month National High Blood Pressure Education Month Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America NHLBI Information Center www.aafa.org www.nhlbi.nih.gov National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Awareness Month Better Sleep Month American Academy of Dermatology The Better Sleep Council www.aad.org or www.bettersleep.org American Cancer Society www.skincancer.org Building Safety Month International Code Council National Mental Health Month www.iccsafe.org National Mental Health Association www.nmha.org Correct Posture Month American Chiropractic Association National Osteoporosis Month Communications Department National Osteoporosis Foundation www.acatoday.org www.nof.org

Healthy Vision Month National Physical Fitness and Sports Month National Eye Institute President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition www.nei.nih.gov/hvm www.fitness.gov

Hepatitis Awareness Month National Stroke Awareness Month American Liver Foundation National Stroke Association www.liverfoundation.org www.stroke.org

Huntington’s Disease Awareness Month National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month Huntington’s Disease Society of America Advocates for Youth www.hdsa.org www.advocatesforyouth.org

Lupus Awareness Month Older Americans Month Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services www.lupus.org Administration for Community Living www.acl.gov National Arthritis Month Arthritis Foundation May 1 – 7 (same dates annually) www.arthritis.org National Physical Education and Sports Week National Association for Sport and Physical Education National Bike Month www.shapeamerica.org League of American Bicyclists www.bikeleague.org

MAY CONTINUED >

(MAY, CONTINUED)

May 2 (first Wednesday in May) May 9 (Wednesday during National Nurses Week) Project Aces Day School Nurse Day (All Children Exercise Simultaneously) www.nasn.org Youth Fitness Coalition, Inc. www.projectaces.com May 13 World Fair Trade Day May 6 – 12 (same dates each year) World Fair Trade Association (WFTO) National Nurses Week www.wfto.com American Nurses Association www.nursingworld.org May 13 – 19 (Mother’s Day week) National Nursing Home Week May 6 – 12 (first full week in May) American Health Care Association Be Kind to Animals Week www.nnhw.org Canadian Federation of Humane Societies www.cfhs.ca May 13 – 19 (Mother’s Day week) American Humane Association Women’s Health Week www.americanhumane.org Office on Women’s Health Department of Health and Human Services May 6 – 12 (first full week in May) www.cdc.gov/women/ North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (NAOSH) May 14 – 18 American Society of Safety Engineers Bike to Work Week www.asse.org/naosh (Bike to Work Day: May 18) League of American Bicyclists May 8 (same date annually) www.bikeleague.org World Red Cross/Red Crescent Day American Red Cross May 20 www.redcross.org World Autoimmune Arthritis Day The International Foundation for May 7 – 13 Autoimmune Arthritis (week of Florence Nightengale’s birthday, May 12) www.WorldAutoimmuneArthritisDay.org National Hospital and Healthcare Week American Hospital Association May 30 (last Wednesday in May) www.aha.org National Senior Health & Fitness Day www.fitnessday.com May 21 – 27 National Volunteer Week – Australia Volunteering Australia www.volunteeringaustralia.org

JUNE 2018

June & July Fireworks Safety Months June 5 (same date annually) National Council on Fireworks Safety World Environment Day www.fireworksafety.com United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) www.unep.org/wed Cataract Awareness Month Prevent Blindness America June 10 (second Sunday in June) www.preventblindness.org National Children’s Day www.nationalchildrensday.us National Great Outdoors Month American Recreation Coalition June 11 – 17 (ending with Father’s Day) www.greatoutdoorsmonth.org Men’s Health Week Men’s Health Network National Safety Month www.menshealthweek.org National Safety Council www.nsc.org June 14 (same date annually) World Blood Donor Day National Scleroderma Awareness Month www.who.int/world-blood-donor-day United Scleroderma Foundation, Inc. www.scleroderma.org June 18 – 20 43rd Annual National Wellness Conference Men’s Health Month National Wellness Institute, Inc. www.menshealthmonth.org St. Paul, MN www.nationalwellness.org/Conference Migraine and Headache Awareness Month National Headache Foundation June 27 (same date annually) www.headaches.org National HIV Testing Day AIDS.gov June 2 (first Saturday in June) www.aids.gov National Trails Day American Hiking Society www.americanhiking.org

June 3 (first Sunday in June) National Cancer Survivors Day National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation www.ncsdf.org

JULY 2018

June & July UV Safety Month Fireworks Safety Months American Academy of Ophthalmology National Council on Fireworks Safety www.aao.org www.fireworkssafety.org July 15 – 21 National Park and Recreation Month Every Body Deserves a Massage Week National Recreation and Park Association Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals www.nrpa.org www.abmp.com

AUGUST 2018

Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month August 7 American Academy of Ophthalmology National Night Out www.aao.org National Association of Town Watch www.natw.org/about Medic Alert Awareness Month www.medicalert.org August 6 – 12 (second week in August) National Health Center Week National Breastfeeding Month National Association of Community Health Centers, Inc. United States Breastfeeding Committee www.healthcenterweek.org/home-2018 www.usbreastfeeding.org/ August 9 National Immunization Awareness Month International Day of the World’s Indigenous People Center for Disease Control & Prevention United Nations www.cdc.gov/vaccines www.unesco.org

August 1 – 7 (same dates annually) World Breastfeeding Week La Leche League International www.llli.org

SEPTEMBER 2018

Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk National Cholesterol Education Awareness Month (Fall weekend) National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute Dates vary depending location. Contact your local www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/cholesterol_education_month.htm Alzheimer’s Association or visit www.alz.org National Food Safety Education Month National Restaurant Association Education Foundation Baby Safety Awareness Month www.foodsafetymonth.com Juvenile Product Manufacturers Association www.jpma.org National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, Inc. BioDiversity Month www.ovariancancerawareness.org Dept. of the Environment and Heritage Australia www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity National Menopause Awareness Month North American Menopause Society Blood Cancer Awareness Month www.menopause.org Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of America www.lls.org National Preparedness Month Cosponsored by American Red Cross Childhood Cancer Awareness Month www.redcross.org and CureSearch for Children’s Cancer U.S. Dept of Homeland Security www.curesearch.org www.ready.gov

Fruit & Veggies More Matters Month National Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month Fruits & Veggies More Matters Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. www.fruitsandveggiesmorematter.org www.sicklecelldisease.org

Healthy Aging™ Month National Yoga Month Healthy Aging Campaign Yoga Health Foundation Educational Television Network, Inc. www.yogamonth.org www.healthyaging.net Prostate Health Month National Recovery Month and Prostate Cancer Awareness Month Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Prostate Cancer Foundation Administration (SAMHSA) www.pcf.org National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information www.recoverymonth.gov Sports and Home Eye Safety Month Prevent Blindness America National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month www.preventblindness.org President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition www.hhs.gov/fitness SEPTEMBER CONTINUED >

(SEPTEMBER, CONTINUED)

Whole Grains Month September 23 – 29 (last week in September) The Whole Grains Council Active Aging Week www.wholegrainscouncil.org/get-involved/celebrate- whole-grains-month-in-september International Council on Active Aging www.icaa.cc September 1 – 7 (same date annually) National Childhood Injury Prevention Week September 26 (last Wednesday) The American Academy of Pediatrics www.healthychildren.org National Women’s Health & Fitness Day Safe Kids Worldwide Health Information Resource Center www.safekids.org www.fitnessday.com/women

September 9 – 15 (week of Sept. 10) Suicide Prevention Week September 29 (last Saturday) American Association of Suicidology Family Health and Fitness Day USA www.suicidology.org Health Information Resource Center www.fitnessday.com/family September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance 911day.org September 29 (last Saturday) National Public Lands Day September 9 – 15 National Public Lands Day National Assisted Living Week National Center for Assisted Living www.publiclandsday.org www.nalw.org

September 16 – 22 (third week in September) National Rehabilitation Week National Rehabilitation Awareness Foundation www.nraf–rehabnet.org/

September 16 – 22 (third week in September) National Farm Safety and Health Week National Educational Center for Agricultural Safety www.necasag.org September 19 (third Wednesday) Backpack Awareness Day The American Occupational Therapy Association www.aota.org

September 21 (same date annually) International Day of Peace United Nations www.un.org/en/events/peaceday/

OCTOBER 2018

Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk National Chiropractic Month (Fall Weekend) American Chiropractic Association Dates vary depending location. Contact your local www.acatoday.org Alzheimer’s Association or visit www.alz.org National Crime Prevention Month National Crime Prevention Council American Heart Walk www.ncpc.org Dates vary depending on your location. American Heart Association National Dental Hygiene Month www.heartwalk.org American Dental Hygienists Association www.adha.org/ndhm Auto Battery Safety Month Prevent Blindness America National Depression and Mental Health www.preventblindness.org Screening Month Screening for Mental Health, Inc. Eat Together, Eat Better Month www.mentalhealthscreening.org Washington State University http://nutrition.wsu.edu/ETEB/ National Disability Employment Awareness Month U.S. Dept. of Labor Children’s Health Month www.dol.gov/odep Office of Children’s Health Protection U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Family Sexuality Education Month www.epa.gov/children/childrens-health-month Planned Parenthood Federation of America www.plannedparenthood.org/ Domestic Violence Awareness Month National Resource Center for Domestic Violence National Liver Awareness Month www.nrcdv.org American Liver Foundation www.liverfoundation.org Health Literacy Month Health Literacy Consulting National Physical Therapy Month www.healthliteracymonth.org American Physical Therapy Association www.apta.org Healthy Babies Month March of Dimes/Birth Defects Foundation National Spina Bifida Awareness Month www.marchofdimes.com Spina Bifida Association of America www.spinabifidaassociation.org Healthy Lung Month American Lung Association National Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) www.lungusa.org Awareness Month SIDS Alliance National Breast Cancer Awareness Month www.sidsalliance.org National Breast Cancer Foundation www.nationalbreastcancer.org National UNICEF Month: Trick–or–Treat for UNICEF. National Office of the US Fund for UNICEF National Bullying Prevention Month www.unicefusa.org PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center www.pacer.org/bullying/ OCTOBER CONTINUED >

(OCTOBER, CONTINUED)

National Work and Family Month October 8 – 12 (week of Columbus Day) Alliance for Work–Life Progress National Consultant Pharmacy Week www.awlp.org American Society of Consultant Pharmacists www.ascp.com Talk About Your Medicines Month National Council on Patient Information and Education October 14 – 20 (third full week in October) www.talkaboutrx.org International Infection Prevention Week Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Vegetarian Awareness Month Epidemiology, Inc. North American Vegetarian Society www.apic.org www.worldvegetarianday.org October 14 – 20 (third week in October) October 1 (annually same date) National Health Education Week International Day of Older Persons Society for Public Health Education www.un.org/en/events/olderpersonsday www.sophe.org/NHEW.cfm

October 1 – 7 (first full week in October) October 14 – 20 (third week in October) National Mental Illness Awareness Week National Healthcare Quality Week NAMI – National Alliance on Mental Illness National Association for Healthcare Quality www.nami.org/miaw www.nahq.org

October 1 (first Monday in October) October 17 (same date annually) Child Health Day International Day for the Eradication of Poverty U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services United Nations mchb.hrsa.gov www.un.org/en/events/povertyday

October 1 (first Monday in October) October 20 (same date annually) World Habitat Day World Osteoporosis Day UN Habitat www.unhabitat.org/ International Osteoporosis Foundation www.worldosteoporosisday.org October 7 – 13 (week including October 9 – Chicago Fire) National Fire Prevention Week October 22 (same date annually) National Fire Protection Association Food Day www.nfpa.org Center for Science in the Public Interest www.foodday.org October 10 (always October 10) World Mental Health Day October 27 (fourth Saturday in October) World Federation for Mental Health Make a Difference Day www.wfmh.global www.makeadifferenceday.com

October 10 (same date annually) October 21 – 27 (last full week October) Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day National Respiratory Care Week www.asce.org/transportation-and-development- American Association for Respiratory Care engineering/put-the-brakes-on-fatalities-day/ www.aarc.org

October 8 – 12 (second full week) October 23 – 31 (same dates annually) National School Lunch Week National Red Ribbon Celebration/ School Nutrition Association National Plant the Promise Week www.schoolnutrition.org National Family Partnership at www.nfp.org

October 29 (same date annually) World Stroke Day American Stroke Association www.strokeassociation.org

NOVEMBER 2018 American Diabetes Month November 12 American Diabetes Association World Pneumonia Day www.diabetes.org www.stoppneumonia.org

Native American Heritage Month November 12 – 18 (week before Thanksgiving) http://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov/ American Education Week National Education Association Diabetic Eye Disease Month www.nea.org Prevent Blindness America www.preventblindness.org November 13 (same date annually) World Kindness Day Lung Cancer Awareness Month Random Acts of Kindness American Cancer Society www.randomactsofkindness.org www.cancer.org November 14 (same date annually) National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month World Diabetes Day Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association International Diabetes Federation www.alz.org www.worlddiabetesday.org

National Epilepsy Awareness Month November 15 (same date annually) Epilepsy Foundation of America National Philanthropy Day www.efa.org Association of Fundraising Professionals www.npdlove.com National Family Caregivers Month National Family Caregivers Association November 15 (same date annually) www.nfcacares.org America Recycles Day National Recycling Coalition, Inc. National Healthy Skin Month www.americarecyclesday.org American Academy of Dermatology www.aad.org November 15 (third Thursday) Great American Smokeout National Home Care Month American Cancer Society National Association for Home Care & Hospice www.cancer.org www.nahc.org November 17 (Saturday before U. S. Thanksgiving) National Hospice and Palliative Care Month International Survivors of Suicide Day National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) www.nhpco.org www.afsp.org/survivorday

Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month November 22 (always Thanksgiving Day) Pancreatic Cancer Action Network National Family Health History Day www.pancan.org U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services www.hhs.gov/familyhistory/ Prematurity Awareness Month March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation November 22 – January 1 www.marchofdimes.com (U.S. Thanksgiving - New Year’s Day) Tie One On For Safety Campaign November 5 Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Color the World Orange for CRPS/RSD Awareness www.madd.org www.colortheworldorange.org

DECEMBER 2018

International AIDS Awareness Month December 2 – 8 International HIV/AIDS Alliance National Influenza Vaccination Week www.aidsalliance.org/ www.cdc.gov/flu/nivw/

National Drunk and Drugged Driving December 5 (same date annually) Prevention (3D) Month International Volunteer Day United Nations Volunteers National Highway Traffic Safety Administration www.unv.org www.nhtsa.gov/Driving-Safety/Impaired-Driving www.worldvolunteerweb.org

Safe Toys and Gifts Month December 10 (same date annually) Prevent Blindness America Human Rights Day www.preventblindness.org United Nations Human Rights www.ohchr.org December 1 (same date annually) World AIDS Day AIDS.gov www.aids.gov

December 2 – 8 (first full week of December) National Hand Washing Awareness Week Henry the Hand Foundation www.henrythehand.com

NWI 2018 Health & Wellness Observances Calendar published by: National Wellness Institute, Inc. PO Box 827, Stevens Point, WI 54481–0827 715.342.2969 [email protected] • NationalWellness.org Information is published as a service and NWI may not be held responsible for misprints, changes in dates, or general errors in processing. Please contact NWI with any corrections. Last updated: November 1, 2016