International Rare Disease Day is a global awareness campaign commemorated every last day of February. (Photo : asbestos.com)
An opening ceremony for the awareness month for the global celebration of Rare Disease Day was recently held in Beijing, introducing the revelry’s theme, “Change Begins with Understanding.”
Organized by the Chinese Organization for Rare Disorders (CORD), the Feb. 28 event aimed at raising public consciousness about the different kinds of rare diseases and the ways they affect patients' lives.
The International Rare Disease Day is annually commemorated in the last day of February. This awareness campaign was first launched by the European Rare Diseases Organization back in 2008.
For this year's celebration, CORD has teamed up with 14 other organizations and media partners to help disseminate the line-up of events in view of the awareness advocacy throughout China. The happenings are strategically planned to be held in the country's key cities.
During the opening ceremony, the commemoration's emblem and mascot, HanHan, an island-dwelling tree snail from Oahu, was also introduced. The snail's species has faced extinction because of its slow pace as well as the destruction of its natural abode.
According to the organizers, HanHan is symbolic of the vulnerable and marginalized groups affected by different kinds of rare disorders.
To further enhance the understanding of rare diseases, CORD officials decided to show a film about inherited diseases. The film screening has provided an easily relatable overview about genetics and the concept of heredity.
Through a thorough discussion, CORD director Huang Rufang briefed the participants about the principles from which this awareness month celebration is anchored to.
Huang also lauded the "Snail Campaign," which has been in service to fellowmen with rare diseases for the past four years.
An awarding ceremony for CORD's partners and associates in this endeavor concluded the program.
