National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week is Here

The comment, "But you don't look sick!" always elicits several thoughts but my first and foremost is a heartily felt, "thank God for that". 

Most illnesses aren't visible to the naked eye: diabetes, hypertension, fibromyalgia, CFIDS and autoimmune diseases to name just a few. Yet, we tend to carry the idea in our minds that if you don't look ill, you can't possibly be sick.

Nothing could be further from the truth and part of the purpose of NICIAW is to spread awareness.

September 13-19, 2010 is National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week. This annual event, started in 2002 by Lisa Copen, features a variety of ways to get involved including a virtual conference September 13-17 online for free with speakers each morning 10:30 – 12 USA Pacific time.

There is a Meme “30 Things You May Not Know About My Invisible Illness”, you can sign up to blog for the cause, read guest bloggers’ posts, and get involved in the campaign on Facebook. There is even a free 80-page ebook when you sign up for email updates, with 263 tips!

With nearly 1 in 2 people living with a chronic condition, about 96% of those people are suffering silently with invisible illnesses. See InvisibleIllnessWeek.com

I hope you will check out some of the information at InvisibleIllnessWeek.com.