A note from Ashok Bhaseen, President of Thyroid Federation International
“There are still many people living with some kind of thyroid disorder without diagnosis. The International Thyroid Awareness Week is now in its 11th year, and I promise, we at Thyroid Federation International and its member countries won’t rest until testing and diagnosis rates improve globally. This year we’re helping people to recognize the many faces of thyroid disorders so they can visit a healthcare professional and get tested as soon as possible.“
Look for patient programs on education and awareness in your country or visit the Thyroid Federation website in your country.
How to get involved in this year’s campaign
If you’re on social media, keep up with the campaign via our channels on Twitter and Facebook, and play your part in the global movement by using the hashtag #ITAW19. This will help us raise awareness of thyroid disorders, which affect more than 200 million people worldwide as per ATA (American Thyroid Association).
Visit us on www.thyroidweek.org and www.thyroid-fed.org
Why are we doing this?
ITAW, now in its 11th year, was created to highlight the detrimental impact that thyroid disorders have on people’s quality of life when left undiagnosed. Around 1.6 billion people worldwide are thought to be at risk, with hundreds of millions living with a thyroid condition right now.[i] Up to 60% of those living with a thyroid disorder are undiagnosed, and people may be needlessly struggling through their everyday lives without knowing the root cause of their symptoms.[ii]
However, once
diagnosed, thyroid disorders are treatable, and the ITAW campaign is pushing
hard to improve testing and diagnoses globally.
i Khan A, Khan MM, Akhtar S. Thyroid disorders, etiology and prevalence. J Med Sci 2002; 2: 89–94. Available at: http://www.scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=jms.2002.89.94&org=11 Last accessed February 2019.
ii American Thyroid Association. General Information/Press Room. Available at: https://www.thyroid.org/media-main/press-room/ Last accessed February 2019.