Know More, Share More During Blood Clot Awareness Month 2017
March is Blood Clot Awareness Month (BCAM), which is perhaps one of the busiest times of the year for the National Blood Clot Alliance, because it is so important to the patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and advocates that we serve and work with each day. Not only does BCAM provide an opportunity to come together as a community to share resources and stories, it also provides an essential opportunity to share life-saving information about blood clots with people who may not know that they could be at risk.
Blood clots do not discriminate. They can and do affect anyone from children to senior citizens, from professional athletes to mothers, women and men – no one is immune. Tragically, roughly 274 lives are lost each day in the U.S. simply because public awareness about life-threatening blood clots is so low. Study after study has shown that fewer than 1 in 4 people have any recognition of blood clots or their signs and symptoms. Without this recognition, people may not receive help until it is too late. Blood clots are deadly, but they can also be prevented simply by knowing – and sharing – information.
BCAM provides a special time to highlight essential information about blood clot risks, signs and symptoms, and prevention. In a digital world that is packed with a never-ending stream of information, BCAM carves out a space dedicated to discussions that can undoubtedly raise awareness about the impact of blood clots, and in turn produce life-saving results.
BCAM: How It All Began
Recognized each March, BCAM is an observance conceived in a bipartisan manner through the sponsorship efforts of Congresswomen Lois Capps (D-CA) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), each of whom experienced the tragedy of blood clots through loved ones. Rep. Capps’ husband, former Rep. Walter Capps, died prematurely of a PE in 2006. Rep. McMorris Rodgers’ dear friend and mentor, former Rep. Jennifer Dunn, passed away suddenly from a PE in 2007.
BCAM 2017: Know More, Share More
In recognition of BCAM 2017, NBCA plans to highlight several important themes, or interest areas, pertaining to blood clots. We will be presenting content in digital format via our social media networks, primarily in the form of newly created, eye-catching graphics that convey key facts and stats. The content will be derived from some of our signature programs – such as our Stop the Clot, Spread the Word™ campaign and our women’s health content, as well as other crucial information pertaining to basic blood clot facts and stats.
With this campaign, we invite you to Know More, Share More this March. We are often asked how you – the people that support us the most – can help to raise awareness, so we’ve created this initiative to help you do just that. We encourage you to visit our social media channels regularly throughout the month for brand new, daily content about blood clots. Then, we ask that you share this content with your own social media networks. By knowing and sharing information about blood clots, we can make a difference and perhaps even help to reduce the number of lives that are damaged or lost due to blood clots.
Five Weeks of Dedicated BCAM Content
The National Blood Clot Alliance also will be sharing new and creative content each week of Blood Clot Awareness Month based on important educational and clinical themes, including:
- Week 1 (March 1-3) — BCAM Kick-Off Week: More About NBCA
- Week 2 (March 6-10) — All About Blood Clots: Risk, Signs & Symptoms, and Prevention
- Week 3 (March 13-17) — Detailed Discussions: Information About Specific High Risk Groups
- Week 4 (March 20-24) — Personal Perspective: Hear from People Affected by Blood Clots
- Week 5 (March 27-31) — Make A Difference: How You Can Help Beyond BCAM
We also will have other exciting BCAM events and information to share as the month progresses, so check back regularly for these updates.
More BCAM Events
- NBCA-Hosted Webinar for CDC’s Division of Blood Disorders
Save the Date: March 16 from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET, CDC webinar for health professionals, with NBCA MASAB Chair Dr. Michael Streiff. Register here.
A Month Made for You: How You Can Get Involved
There is something for everyone this March, including countless opportunities to learn – and share – more life-saving information about blood clots.
Know More
We hope you take opportunity to learn as much as you can about blood clots during BCAM. Below, we share some NBCA resources to help you get started. If you haven’t already, be sure to sign up for our e-Newsletter to stay up to date with the latest BCAM news and information.
Share More
Connect with us on our social media channels and share the information that we post daily. You can connect with NBCA as Stop the Clot® on:
BCAM 2017 Hashtags
The internet is full of information, and sometimes, it can be hard to find the specific information you are looking for. A hashtag is a type of label used online – whether it be in articles or blogs, or on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram – which makes it easier for users to find posts, or messages, with a specific theme or content.
If you’re sharing on social media, don’t forget to add one or more of our BCAM hashtags to your post: #stoptheclot #BCAM #knowmore #sharemore
Make Your Voice Heard
Do you sometimes feel like people don’t listen when you share information about blood clots? Do you ever wish more people knew about blood clots? You can help make your voice heard above all the noise by joining NBCA’s BCAM Thunderclap message, which will be sent out across Facebook and Twitter later this month.
Like any message, the more individuals who come together to share it, the better the message is heard. Sign up here, or click the image below, and share it with your social media networks, family and friends. Together, we can make sure our voices are heard to share this important message.
Know More, Share More: Tools to Help You Stop the Clot®
The National Blood Clot Alliance has several everlasting assets that you can share with your family and friends to help educate them about blood clots. With your help, we can Stop the Clot® and help to save lives.
Share our widely recognized Stop the Clot, Spread the Word™ educational tools
NBCA’s widely public awareness campaign — called Stop the Clot, Spread the Word™ —stems from NBCA’s five-year cooperative agreement or collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, involves a dynamic online or digital media campaign that reaches tens of millions of people each year with information about blood clot risks and blood clot signs and symptoms.
You’ll find great information, including important downloadable checklists that you can share, at our Stop the Clot, Spread the Word™ site: www.stoptheclot.org/spreadtheword.
You can also find these additional resources and downloadable, added just last year, specifically related to blood clot risks associated with hospitalization:
Make sure all of the women in your life are aware about blood clot risks with our Women & Blood Clots program. You’ll find great content and videos at the links below to help women understand the blood clot risks connected to several important life stages most women face, including:
- Birth Control and Family Planning
- Pregnancy and Childbirth
- Treatment of Menopause Symptoms
- Online resources for women making choices connected to birth control
This resource also includes a video series and infographic for you to share.
Check out some of the important resources on our website that you can share with others
- Blood Clot Info: Risk, Symptoms, and Prevention
- Risk
- Signs and Symptoms
- Prevention
- Travel and Blood Clots: Passport to Safety
- A Patient’s Guide to INR Self-Testing
- Toolkit for Knee and Hip Replacement Patients
- Athletes and Blood Clots
- Children and Blood Clots
“Faces of Blood Clots:” Make A Difference by Helping NBCA Raise Funds
Our mission is supported in part by funds raised with the help of individuals just like you. Help us make a difference and raise funds to support our mission during BCAM by sharing your blood clot story. Blood clots can and do affect anyone, from all backgrounds and walks of life. With your help, NBCA would like to showcase the many stories – or faces – of blood clots on CrowdRise.
We invite you to share your story with us and become part of the “Faces of Blood Clots” team, which involves weekly updates and fundraising tips to help you raise funds for NBCA. At the end of the month, the person who raises the most money will win a prize from NBCA. Awareness leads to prevention. Please consider sharing your story with us as a part of this competition during our awareness month. If you would like to be a part of this fundraising campaign, or have questions, please e-mail Caitlin at caugustine@stoptheclot.org.
Be sure to visit our Events Calendar for any upcoming in-person events taking place in your community, and learn more about additional ways to give.
Share Your Story With NBCA
You can also submit your story for publication on our website. Learn more about submitting your story to NBCA here: Guidelines for Website Patient Stories
Contact the National Blood Clot Alliance Communications Department at info@stoptheclot.org if you have any questions or comments about Blood Clot Awareness Month 2017.
