12/18/2019 in Blog

As you begin planning your content marketing strategy for the new year, consider adding healthcare Awareness and recognition dates to your editorial calendar. These observances provide an opportunity to bring awareness to important and timely causes, engage current and prospective patients, and promote your health system’s capabilities and strengths.

It’s important to note that there are hundreds of observances. It would be impractical to build all of these opportunities into your editorial calendar. Research the events that are most relevant to your community and determine if they help support your outreach or department utilization goals. Depending on your resources, choose a select number of marquee events to promote each month. Also, consider working closely with your clinicians to learn how these observances impact them and provide an opportunity for them to get involved as subject matter experts to produce content or help with promotion.

As the year goes on, make sure to measure the response of any targeted outreach. You can leverage the data for future planning, and work to increase the engagement and impact of your content marketing efforts.

Healthcare consumers are searching for information that is specific to their needs, and a well-executed content calendar with relatable topics will help you get connected. Guide your patient’s decision-making journey by starting the conversation with targeted information and support the experience by translating compassionate communication into quality care.

Are you ready to demonstrate the impact of your 2020 campaigns? 

Tune in for tips on building a simple yet powerful Marketing Performance Hub.

Health observances and recognition dates* for 2020:

January 

• Cervical Health Awareness Month
• National Birth Defects Prevention Month 
• National Glaucoma Awareness Month
• National Volunteer Blood Donor Month 
• Thyroid Awareness Month 

Weeks to note:

• January 5 – 11 – Folic Acid Awareness Week 

February 

• Age-Related Macular Degeneration Awareness Month 
• American Heart Month
• Gallbladder and Bile Duct Cancer Awareness Month 
• International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month 
• National Cancer Prevention Month 
• National Children’s Dental Health Month 
• National Senior Independence Month 

Weeks to note:

• February 7 – 11 – Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week 
• February 9 – 15 – Cardiac Rehabilitation Week 
• February 14 – 21 – Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Staff Education Week 
• February 23 – 29 – National Eating Disorder Awareness Week 

Days to Note:

• February 4 – World Cancer Day
• February 7 – National Wear Red Day 
• February 7 – Give Kids A Smile® Day (kick-off) 
• February 14 – National Donor Day 
• February 22 – National Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day  

March

• Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month 
• Brain Injury Awareness Month 
• Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month 
• Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month
• National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month 
• National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month 
• National Endometriosis Awareness Month 
• National Kidney Month 
• Social Work Month
• Trisomy Awareness Month 

Weeks to note:

• March 1 – 8 – National Sleep Awareness Week 
• March 8 – 14 – National Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week 
• March 8 – 14 – Patient Safety Awareness Week 
• March 15 – 21 – National Poison Prevention Week 
• March 30 – April 5 – National Institutes of Health – National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week 

Days to note:

• March 3 – Birth Defects Day 
• March 20 – World Oral Health Day 
• March 24 – American Diabetes Alert Day 
• March 24 – World Tuberculosis Day 
• March 30 – National Doctors’ Day 

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April 

• Alcohol Awareness Month 
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month 
• National Autism Awareness Month 
• National Cancer Control Month 
• National Donate Life Month 
• National Interprofessional Health Care Month 
• National Minority Health Month 
• National Parkinson’s Awareness Month 
• Occupational Therapy Month
• Oral Cancer Awareness Month 
• Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month 
• Sexually Transmitted Infections Awareness Month 
• Stress Awareness Month 
• Testicular Cancer Awareness Month 

Weeks to note:

• April 5 – 11 – Oral, Head, and Neck Cancer Awareness Week 
• April 6 – 12 – National Public Health Week 
• April 19 – 25 – National Infertility Awareness Week 
• April 20 – 24 – Every Kid Healthy Week 
• April 20 – 24 – National Pediatric Transplant Week 
• April 24 – 30 – World Immunization Week 
• April 26 – May 3 – National Infant Immunization Week 
• April 27 – May 1 – Patient Experience Week 

Days to note:

• April 7 –  National Alcohol Screening Day 
• April 7 – World Health Day 
• April 10 – National Youth HIV and AIDS Awareness Day 
• April 16 – Annual National Healthcare Decisions Day 
• April 24 – World Meningitis Day  

May

• Arthritis Awareness Month 
• Better Hearing and Speech Month 
• Food Allergy Action Month 
• Healthy Vision Month 
• Hepatitis Awareness Month 
• Lupus Awareness Month 
• National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month 
• National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month  
• National High Blood Pressure Education Month 
• National Mental Health Month 
• National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month 
• National Physical Fitness and Sports Month 
• National Stroke Awareness Month 
• National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month 
• Older Americans Month 
• Preeclampsia Awareness Month 

Weeks to note:

• May 3 – 9 – North American Occupational Safety and Health Week
• May 6 – 12 – National Nurses Week 
• May 11 – 17 – National Stuttering Awareness Week 
• May 4 – 10 – National Neuropathy Awareness Week
• May 10 – 16 – National Alcohol and Other Drug-Related Birth Defects Awareness Week 
• May 10 – 16 – National Hospital Week
• May 10 – 16 – National Women’s Health Week 

Days to note:

• May 9 – Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Awareness  
• May 9 – National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day  
• May 18 – HIV Vaccine Awareness Day 
• May 20 – World Autoimmune/Autoinflammatory Arthritis Day 
• May 22 – Don’t Fry Day 
• May 27 – National Senior Health & Fitness Day 
• May 31 – World No Tobacco Day Date 

June 

• Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month 
• Cataract Awareness Month 
• Men’s Health Month 
• Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month 
• National Aphasia Awareness Month 
• National Congenital Cytomegalovirus Awareness Month 
• National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month 
• National Safety Month 
• National Scleroderma Awareness Month 
• PTSD Awareness Month 

Weeks to note:

• June 15 – 21 – Men’s Health Week 
• June 28 – July 4 – Helen Keller Deaf – Blind Awareness Week 

Days to note:

• June 7 – National Cancer Survivors Day®
• June 19 – World Sickle Cell Day 
• June 27 – National HIV Testing Day 

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July 

• Cord Blood Awareness Month
• International Group B Strep Awareness Month 
• Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month  
• National Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness & Prevention Month 
• Sarcoma Awareness Month  
• UV Safety Month  

Days to note:

• July 28 – World Hepatitis Day 

August

• Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month
• Digestive Tract Paralysis Awareness Month 
• Gastroparesis Awareness Month 
• National Breastfeeding Month  
• National Immunization Awareness Month  
• Psoriasis Action Month
• Summer Sun Safety Month 

Weeks to note:

• August 2 – 8 – National Health Center Week 

Days to note:

• August 1 – World Lung Cancer Day 
• August 20 – Opioid Misuse Prevention Day 

September 

• Childhood Cancer Awareness Month 
• Healthy Aging® Month
• Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Myeloma Month 
• National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month
• National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month  
• National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month 
• National Cholesterol Education Month 
• National ITP (Platelet Disorder) Awareness Month 
• National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month 
• National Pediculosis Prevention Month/Head Lice Prevention Month  
• National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
• National Recovery Month  
• National Sickle Cell Month 
• National Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month   
• Newborn Screening Awareness Month  
• Pain Awareness Month
• Sepsis Awareness Month  
• Sexual Health Awareness Month  
• Suicide Prevention Awareness Month   
• Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month 
• World Alzheimer’s Month  

 Weeks to note:

• September 20 – 26 – National Rehabilitation Awareness Week 

Days to note:

• September 15 – Get Ready [for Flu] Day
• September 18 – National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day 
• September 22 – Falls Prevention Awareness Day 
• September 25 – Sport Purple for Platelets Day 
• September 28 – World Rabies Day
• September 29 – World Heart Day
• September 30 – National Women’s Health & Fitness Day 

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October 

• Domestic Violence Awareness Month 
• Eye Injury Prevention Month 
• Health Literacy Month
• National Breast Cancer Awareness Month 
• National Dental Hygiene Month  
• National Down Syndrome Awareness Month 
• National Liver Cancer Awareness Month
• National Medical Librarians Month 
• National Physical Therapy Month 
• Pharmacist Month
• Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Awareness Month 
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month 

Weeks to note:

• October 4 – 10 – National Primary Care Week
• October 4 – 10 – Mental Illness Awareness Week 
• October 5 – 9 – Malnutrition Awareness Week 
• October 6 – 12 – Physician Assistants Week
• October 12 – 20 – Bone and Joint Health Action Week 
• October 12 – 20 – International Infection Prevention Week
• October 18 – 24 – National Health Education Week 
• October 18 – 24 – National Healthcare Quality Week 
• October 23 – 31 – Red Ribbon Week  
• October 25 – 31 – Respiratory Care Week 

Days to note:

• October 8 – National Depression Screening Day
• October 13 – Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day  
• 0ctober 16 – National Mammography Day 
• October 19 – World Pediatric Bone and Joint Day 
• October 21 – National Check Your Meds Day 
• October 22 – International Stuttering Awareness Day 
• October 29 – World Psoriasis Day

November 

• American Diabetes Month 
• Bladder Health Month 
• COPD Awareness Month 
• Diabetic Eye Disease Month 
• Lung Cancer Awareness Month 
• National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month
• National Family Caregivers Month 
• National Healthy Skin Month 
• National Home Health Care Month 
• National Hospice and Palliative Care Month 
• Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month 
• Stomach Cancer Awareness Month 

Weeks to note:

• November 4 – 10 – National Diabetes Education Week 
• November 24 – 30 – Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Awareness Week 

Days to note:

• November 12 – World Pneumonia Day
• November 14 – World Diabetes Day 
• November 17 – Great American Smokeout® 
• November 25 – National Family Health History Day 

December

• Safe Toys and Gifts Month 

Weeks to note:

• December 1 – 7 – National Handwashing Awareness Week
• December 1- 7 – National Influenza Vaccination Week  

Days to note:

• December 1 – World AIDS Day  

*Select dates retrieved from the IAB Health Products 2020 Wellness Calendar

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