March is Blood Clot Awareness Month (BCAM), which is perhaps one of the most important times of the year for the National Blood Clot Alliance, because it is so important, in so many ways, to the patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and advocates we serve. Not only does BCAM provide an opportunity to unite as a community to share resources and stories, it also provides a crucial opportunity to share life-saving information about blood clots on a large and more far-reaching scale. In a digital world that is packed with a constant stream of information and chatter, BCAM carves out a special place for conversations and the exchange of information that can undoubtedly raise awareness about the impact of blood clots, and in turn produce life-saving results.
Join NBCA this March: Together We Can Increase Awareness and Save Lives.
Blood clots are a major public health concern. Sadly, most people do not know they could be at risk, or they do not know the signs and symptoms of blood clots. Blood clots do not discriminate. They can and do affect everyone: From children to senior citizens, professional athletes to mothers, women and men. No one is immune. Each year, more people lose their lives to blood clots than AIDS, breast cancer, and motor vehicle accidents combined. Yet, despite these facts, study after study has shown that fewer than one in four people have any recognition of blood clots or their signs and symptoms. Without this knowledge, people may not receive help until it is too late. Blood clots can be life-threatening, but they can be prevented in many cases, simply by sharing essential information with the people you know.
BCAM is the perfect time to highlight and share essential information about blood clot risks, signs and symptoms, and prevention. Learn more below about BCAM and how you can make a difference.
BCAM: How It All Began
Recognized each March, BCAM is an observance conceived in a bipartisan manner through the sponsorship efforts of former Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-CA) and Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), each of whom have experienced the tragedy of blood clots: Rep. Capps’ husband, former Rep. Walter Capps, died 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 2019: Together We Can Increase Awareness and Save Lives
NEW this Year – Stay tuned to this space for some exciting announcements during the month of March. Also, sign up for our Share to Stop the Clot® sharing initiative and be among the first to know about new materials.
Sharing Information with Millions – During BCAM 2019, and in connection with our Stop the Clot, Spread the Word™ campaign, orchestrated as part of our cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NBCA will be running web banners and implementing other digital marketing tools to drive people to important public health information. These efforts will help us to reach tens of millions of people with potentially life-saving information about blood clots. In addition, NBCA is hosting a webinar for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Division of Blood Disorders, on March 7, 2019, at 2:00 pm ET. This webinar – Venous Thromboembolism in Children: 2019 Scientific Update – is being presented by NBCA MASAB member Neil Goldenberg, MD, and is free to healthcare professionals. You can learn more about this webinar here and register here: Registration.
NEW Women and Blood Clots Instagram Account – As part of NBCA’s ongoing Women & Blood Clots program, follow our new Instagram account, dedicated to sharing information about the risks women face for blood clots, including risks connected to choices they make about hormonal birth control and family planning, pregnancy and childbirth, and the treatment of menopause symptoms with estrogen. Follow @womenandclots on Instagram.
NEW Thematic Social Posts — During BCAM, we also will be highlighting 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 new graphics that convey key information. The content will be derived from some of our signature programs – such as our Stop the Clot, Spread the Word™ campaign and Women and Blood Clots – as well as from other crucial information pertaining to blood clot recovery issues.
- Week 1 (February 27-March 1) — BCAM Kick-Off Week: Together We Can Increase Awareness and Save Lives
- Week 2 (March 4-8) — Know Your Risk for Blood Clots
- Week 3 (March 11-15) — Recognize Blood Clot Signs and Symptoms
- Week 4 (March 18-22) — Blood Clot Lifestyle and Recovery Issues
- Week 5 (March 25-29) — Help Prevent Blood Clots
Facebook Reaction Polls —We will be hosting weekly Facebook Reaction Polls, where you will have a chance share your opinion about the topics and issues that matter most to you. Together We Can Increase Awareness and Save Lives.
Facebook Profile Frame — Show your support for NBCA and BCAM now through the end of March with our special Facebook profile frame. Connect with us on Facebook to get yours.
NEW Instagram and Twitter Polls – We will be hosting weekly polls on Twitter and Instagram, where you will have a chance to share your opinion about the topics and issues that matter most to you by sharing an emoji.
Get Social — If you haven’t already, connect with NBCA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Also, connect with Women and Blood Clots on Twitter and our new Instagram account. Together We Can Increase Awareness and Save Lives. Share our daily posts, created especially for BCAM 2019, and participate in our social media reaction polls. You can also join our moderated online peer-to-peer support community of over 3,500 members, to discuss blood clot recovery issues and connect with people who understand.
NEW BCAM Hashtags – Don’t forget to use one or more of our BCAM hashtags when you post on social media: #stoptheclot #spreadtheword #BCAM #togetherwecan #sharetostoptheclot
BCAM Events
March 24 (New York, New York): Barry’s Bootcamp Class in Memory of Ali Senser
Together We Can: Tools to Help You Raise Awareness and Save Lives
In addition to our new Share to Stop the Clot sharing initiative, which will remain on our website indefinitely, NBCA 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 andPrevention, 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 that you can download and share at our Stop the Clot, Spread the Word™ site, including:
- Risk Factors Checklist
- Signs and Symptoms Chart
- Stop the Clot, Spread the Word™ Infographic
- Hospitalization and Blood Clot Prevention
- Pregnancy and Blood Clot Prevention
Share Important Information about Women and Blood Clot Risks — Make sure all of the women you know 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
- Women and Blood Clots Infographic
Share Important Information from NBCA’s Website — Check out some of the resources on our website – www.stoptheclot.org – that you can share with others:
- Blood Clot Info: Risk, Symptoms, and Prevention
- Patient Stories
- Blood Clots and Travel
- Blood Clot Treatment
- Thrombophilia Resources
- Toolkit for Knee and Hip Replacement Patients
- Athletes and Blood Clots
- Children and Blood Clots
