Here are the days, weeks and months set aside to raise awareness or recognize healthcare conditions and workers.
January
- National Blood Donor Month
- National Glaucoma Awareness Month
- National Volunteer Blood Donor Month
- Cervical Cancer Awareness Month
- National Birth Defects Prevention Month
Weeks to note:
- Jan. 19-25: National Activities Professional Week
Days to note:
- Jan. 25: National Intravenous Nurse Day
February
- American Heart Month
- AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month
- National Cancer Prevention Month
- National Senior Independence Month
Weeks to note:
- Feb. 1-7: Patient Recognition Week
- Feb. 3-7: Pride in Food Service Week
- Feb. 9-15: National Cardiac Rehabilitation Week
- Feb. 14-21: Alzheimer's and Dementia Staff Education Week
Days to note:
- Feb. 7: National Wear Red Day
March
- National Social Worker's Month
- National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
- Brain Injury Awareness Month
- National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
- Save Your Vision Month
- National Social Work Month
- National Women's History Month
- National Nutrition Month
Weeks to note:
- March 8-14: National Patient Safety Awareness Week
- March 8-14: National Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week
- March 9-13: Long Term Care Administrators Week
Days to note:
- March 11: Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day
- March 19: Certified Nurses Day
- March 19: World Social Work Day
- March 20: World Oral Health Day
- March 24: The American Diabetes Association Alert Day
- March 30: National Doctor's Day
April
- Counseling Awareness Month
- National Occupational Therapy Month
- National Parkinson's Awareness Month
- National Cancer Control Month
- Stress Awareness Month
Weeks to note:
- April 6-12: National Public Health Week
- April 19-25: National Volunteer Week
- April 19-24: Administrative Professionals Week
Days to note:
- April 7: World Health Day
- April 16: National Healthcare Decisions Day
- April 22: Earth Day
- April 22: Administrative Professionals' Day
- April 23: Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day
May
- Older Americans Month
- Oncology Nursing Month
- Better Hearing and Speech Month
- Employee Health and Fitness Month
- Healthy Vision Month
- National American Stroke Month
- National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
- National High Blood Pressure Education Month
- National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Awareness Month
- National Mental Health Month
Weeks to note:
- May 6-12: National Nurses Week
- May 10-16: National Hospital Week
- May 10-16: National Skilled Nursing Care Week
- May 10-16: National Women's Health Week
June
- Migraine Awareness Month
- National Safety Month
- Cataract Awareness Month
- Men's Health Month
Weeks to note:
- June 15-21: National Men's Health Week
- June 18-24: National Nursing Assistants Week
Days to note:
- June 7: Cancer Survivors Day
- June 13: Family Health & Fitness Day
- June 18: National Career Nursing Assistants' Day
- June 27: National HIV Testing Day
July
- Eye Injury Prevention Month
- UV Safety Month
Weeks to note:
- July 5-11: National Therapeutic Recreation Week
- July 20-24: Forensic Healthcare Week
Days to note:
- July 26: National Parents' Day
August
- National Immunization Awareness Month
- Medic Alert Awareness Month
Weeks to note:
- Aug. 23 – 29: Health Unit Coordinators Week
Days to note:
- Aug. 4: National Night Out
September
- Pain Awareness Month
- Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
- Healthy Aging Month
- National Cholesterol Education Month
- National Sickle Cell Awareness Month
- Leukemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma Awareness Month
- National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month
- National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
- National Preparedness Month
- National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Weeks to note:
- Sept. 6-12: Environmental Services and Housekeeping Week
- Sept. 13-19: National Assisted Living Week
Days to note:
- Sept. 13: National Grandparents Day
October
- National Physical Therapy Month
- American Pharmacists Month
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- National Dental Hygiene Month
- National Chiropractic Month
- Residents' Rights Month
Weeks to note:
- Oct. 4-10: National Mental Illness Awareness Week
- Oct. 5-9: Customer Service Week
- Oct. 6-12: National Physician Assistant(s) Week
- Oct. 4-10: National Fire Prevention Week
- Oct. 21-25: National Health Education Week
- Oct. 20-26: National Healthcare Quality Week
- Oct. 20-26: National Respiratory Care Week
- Oct. 25 – 31: National Pastoral Care Week
Days to note:
- Oct. 8: National Depression Screening Day
- Oct. 10: World Hospice and Palliative Care Day
- Oct. 10: World Mental Health Day
- Oct. 15: Global Handwashing Day
- Oct. 16: National Boss's Day
- Oct. 24: Make A Difference Day
November
- National Hospice and Palliative Care Month
- National Family Caregivers Month
- National Home Health Care Month
- National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month
- American Diabetes Month
Weeks to note:
- Nov. 14-20: Home Care Aide Week
Days to note:
- Nov. 5 – National Volunteer Managers Day
- Nov. 11: Veterans Day
- Nov. 14: World Diabetes Day
- Nov. 19: The Great American Smokeout Day
December
Weeks to note:
- Dec. 1-7: National Hand Washing Awareness Week
Days to note:
- Dec. 1: World AIDS Day
Note: This is not an exhaustive list.
Sources:
1. National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization:
https://www.nhpco.org/resources/community-outreach-tools/community-outreach-tools-health-observance-dates
2. American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living:
https://www.ahcancal.org/events/Documents/2020%20Healthcare%20Observances%20Calendar.pdf
3. Globalhandwashingday.org:
https://globalhandwashing.org/global-handwashing-day/
4. HHS:
https://www.hhs.gov/opa/reproductive-health/health-observances/index.html