In the summer of 2013, the LRG launched the Rare 13 campaign, highlighting the diverse faces of GIST by drawing attention to the fact that 13 people are diagnosed with GIST every day (and that’s just within the United States!) This campaign was so successful that for 2014, we decided it was time for GIST to step into the spotlight and have its own global day of recognition. On Sunday, July 13, 2014, we celebrated the very first global GIST Awareness Day (GAD). We were humbled and heartened by the overwhelming support we received.
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The theme of GAD this year is “GIST Life”.
Why do we ‘celebrate’ GIST Awareness Day? Of course, our goal is to raise awareness but more than that, it’s to recognize those we’ve loved & lost and also to celebrate those who are still living with GIST who are surviving and thriving.
GISTers, advocates, caregivers, friends and family can show their support for the GIST community by sharing their stories of #GISTlife – how life doesn’t stop for cancer, that even when living with GIST, life is a beautiful thing to be celebrated with amazing milestones that survivors are still here for.
GAD serves as the yearly pinnacle of our education, awareness and advocacy efforts and provides those outside the GIST community a chance to learn about and lend their support to this important cause. You can also get involved in raising awareness about GIST. Share your story, share facts and information about GIST, and encourage others to get involved. Use your social media presence to promote GAD and support the GIST community.
HOW CAN YOU RAISE AWARENESS?
Post DAILY on social media from July 1-13th. You can post throughout the month of July as well since July is also Sarcoma Awareness Month!
Use hashtags:#gistawarenessday #gistlife #sarcoma and tag @liferaftgroup on FB, IG, and X.
Examples of what to post:
1. GIST facts (see liferaftgroup.org)
2. Your GIST story (a short version or in many parts)
3. A declaration of your support of a GISTer or of the GIST community
4. A photo showing how you’re ‘GIST’ moving & living – surviving & thriving (ie., running, hiking, creating art or crafts, cooking gourmet meals, traveling, etc.)
5. A photo of you and your ‘support team’ #ThrivingTogether (ie., friends, family, care team)
6. A shout-out to your LRG GIST mentor
7. A shout-out to your medical team/institution
8. Anything that brings awareness of GIST to the general public
9. A testimony about what you’re most grateful for since your diagnosis
10. A post about your ‘life motto’ since being diagnosed
11. A post about a milestone that you’ve been able to attend since your diagnosis/start of treatment (ie., a wedding, graduation, birth, etc.)
12. A celebration of a NED (No evidence of disease) scan or acceptance to a trial or overcoming a side effect
13. Any reminders/messages to the community that YOU ARE NOT ALONE
14. A shout-out to The Life Raft Group :-)
Be sure to wear your new, navy blue, 50/50 blend GIST DO IT tshirt, in your photos, available for a $25 donation here: https://liferaftgroup.org/lrgstore/
You can use the templates below for Facebook, Instagram and X. Combine our template with your photos & post. Or right click on the logo above and save the image to your desktop to add the GAD 2024 logo to your own art.
Instagram Post
Facebook Post
X (Twitter) Post
FB & Insta Story/Reel
GIST Awareness Day (GAD) Events are held across the world each year on July 13th. We will post on social media about these events as we get the info. If you are interested in organizing an event, please contact Brian Morello at bmorello@liferaftgroup.org .