World Thrombosis Day: An Award-Winning, Collaborative Global Movement
Recognized on 13 October, World Thrombosis Day (WTD) focuses attention on the often overlooked and misunderstood condition of thrombosis. With thousands of educational events in countries around the world, WTD and its partners place a global spotlight on thrombosis as an urgent and growing health problem. Join the WTD campaign today.
The Date
WTD takes place every year on 13 October, the birthday of Rudolf Virchow who was a pioneer in the pathophysiology of thrombosis. A German physician, pathologist, biologist and anthropologist, Virchow developed the concept of "thrombosis" and advanced our understanding of this condition. To learn more, visit the Berlin Museum of Medical History, formerly the Rudolf Virchow's Pathological Museum.
Mission
WTD seeks to increase global awareness of thrombosis, including its causes, risk factors, signs/symptoms and evidence-based prevention and treatment. Ultimately, we strive to reduce death and disability caused by the condition.
Our mission supports the World Health Assembly's global target of reducing premature deaths by non-communicable disease by 25 percent by 2025, as well as the World Health Organization's global action plan for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases between 2013 and 2020.
Objectives
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Highlight the burden of disease (thrombosis in general) and highlight the need for action, specifically underscoring the unrecognized threat and serious consequences (morbidity and mortality) related to venous thromboembolism (VTE) and atrial fibrillation (AFib).
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Increase public awareness of the significance, risks, signs and symptoms of thrombosis, specifically VTE and AFib as an important cause of thromboembolic stroke.
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Empower individuals to talk with their healthcare providers about their risk for thrombosis and appropriate prevention. Empower individuals to seek immediate medical attention if they have signs and symptoms.
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Galvanize organizations in countries across the globe to conduct appropriate and aligned campaigns in their countries and regions.
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Previous campaigns
Each year, the WTD campaign is evaluated and its reach and influence are analyzed. Review the campaign's impact via the links below.
History
WTD was founded in 2014 by the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) in response to members' requests for a focused global awareness day on thrombosis. Led by a global scientific steering committee, more than 175 organizations worldwide participated in the first day, raising much-needed visibility of the condition through special events, educational forums, widespread media coverage and social media.
WTD is an award-winning campaign. It has won the following awards: Association of Association Executives Best Social Media Campaign (2017), A Gold Power of A Award (2016) and Gold Circle Award for Overall Excellence (2015) from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and two prestigous Silver Anvil Awards (2016 & 2015) from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Additional awards include: Gold Circle Merit Award (2016) from the ASAE, Award of Excellence (2015) from the PRSA and the Best in Maryland Awards from the PRSA Maryland Chapter.
About the ISTH
Founded in 1969, the ISTH is the leading worldwide not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing the understanding, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of thrombotic and bleeding disorders. The ISTH is an international membership organization with nearly 5,000 clinicians, researchers and educators working together to improve the lives of patients in more than 98 countries around the world. Among its highly regarded activities and initiatives are education and standardization programs, research activities, meetings and conferences, peer-reviewed publications and expert committees. Learn more at isth.org.