World Thrombosis Day Campaign Commemorates Fifth Anniversary and Reaches Billions in Effort to Raise Awareness of Life-Threatening Blood Clots

Record-Breaking Global Education Campaign Achieves Increased Awareness of the Risk Factors, Signs, and Symptoms of Thrombosis

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Oct. 9, 2018 /CNW/ -- The World Thrombosis Day (WTD) campaign commemorates its fifth year on October 13 with the largest global engagement effort yet to inform and educate the general public, healthcare professionals and policymakers about the little-known but potentially deadly condition of thrombosis. One in four people worldwide are dying of conditions caused by thrombosis – the formation of blood clots in an artery or vein — yet many people remain unaware of its risks, signs and symptoms.

In five years, the World Thrombosis Day campaign has grown to reach more than 2.7 billion people with more than 9,000 activities in over 100 countries. The campaign has produced more than five peer-reviewed papers demonstrating the worldwide burden of thrombosis and a lack of awareness of the condition among both healthcare providers and the general public. Beyond the research, WTD has built a community of inspiration for patients, survivors and their loved ones, collecting thousands of survivor stories and selfies, educational videos, and powerful testimonies that illustrate the impact of thrombosis worldwide.

"World Thrombosis Day has made incredible progress in shedding light on thrombosis since the campaign began five years ago — yet the seriousness of the issue is still underappreciated," said Dr. Gary Raskob, PhD, Chairman of the World Thrombosis Day Steering Committee. "We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the more than 1,500 campaign partners in over 100 countries who are joining us to build awareness and activate change – which will ultimately help save lives."

Recognized annually on 13 October, WTD is a global movement, led by the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH), that spotlights the underlying cause of the world's top three cardiovascular killers: heart attack, stroke, and venous thromboembolism (VTE), a condition in which blood clots form (most often) in the deep veins of the leg (known as deep vein thrombosis, DVT) and can travel in the circulation and lodge in the lungs (known as pulmonary embolism, PE).

The WTD campaign has been honored with numerous global awards, including: 2017 International and European Association Awards (Best Social Media Campaign); 2017 ICCA/BestCities Incredible Impacts Award; 2017 PRSA Thoth Award (Events & Observances); 2017 PRSA Thoth Award (Global Communications); 2016 ASAE Power of A Gold Award; 2016 PRSA Silver Anvil Award; and 2016 ASAE Gold Circle Merit Award.

To learn more about the WTD campaign, visit WorldThrombosisDay.org.

About World Thrombosis Day
Launched in 2014 and held annually on 13 October, World Thrombosis Day (WTD) aims to increase public, healthcare professional and health care systems' awareness of thrombosis and, ultimately, to reduce deaths and disabilities from thromboembolic disease through a greater awareness of its causes, risk factors, signs and symptoms, and evidence-based prevention and treatment. WTD's 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 WHO global action plan for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in the 2013-2020 timeframe. Visit www.worldthrombosisday.org for more information and to get involved.

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. ISTH is an international professional membership organization with more than 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 congresses, peer-reviewed publications, expert committees and World Thrombosis Day on 13 October. Visit ISTH online at www.isth.org.

Media Inquiries:
Karen Oliver, Senior Vice President
Weber Shandwick
[email protected]

SOURCE International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis