Every year international FASD Awareness Day is celebrated on the 9th September. Community events to mark FASD Awareness Day now take place around the world with communities traditionally pausing at 9.09am, the 9th minute of the 9th hour of the 9th day of the 9th month of the year, representing the 9 months of pregnancy.
This time provides us with an opportunity to pause to reflect and consider the choice to have an alcohol free pregnancy and to share this prevention message across the world.
FASD is an umbrella term for a range of physical, cognitive and behavioural impairments caused by alcohol exposure during fetal development. FASD is the leading preventable cause of neuro-developmental disability in the developed world, yet it remains one of the most neglected.
FASD Awareness Day began in 1999, initiated by Bonnie Buxton, her husband, Brian Philcox, and Teresa Kellerman. The first FASD Awareness Day attracted interest from over 70 volunteers and events were held in countries across the world, beginning in New Zealand, followed by Australia, South Africa, Italy, Germany, Sweden, United States and Canada.
Learn more about the history of FASD Awareness Day.
Read more about FASD on DrinkTank, take action and spend today alcohol free, and get engaged in social media using the hashtag #FASDAwarenessDay.
Raising awareness of foetal alcohol syndrome disorder around the world; more from United States, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom and Europe.