NEA Promotes Eczema Awareness Month in October

The National Eczema Association (NEA) will present Eczema Awareness Month throughout October to spread awareness about living with eczema, the organization announced in a press release.

This year's awareness campaign puts eczema on display with real, up-close photos of community members' flares, paired with their original poems reflecting their lived experiences. Themed, "The Ecz-hibition," this powerful social media campaign aims to bring greater attention to and understanding about eczema's vast impacts, while also working to reduce stigma and foster compassion.

Each week of the month will have a different theme:

• Week 1 – Blank canvas: What is eczema? This week looks at eczema's complex pathophysiology, various types and diverse appearances.
• Week 2 – Art Theory: Eczema is more than the visuals. This week looks at eczema's burden of disease.
• Week 3 – Art class: creative ways to manage your eczema. This week takes a closer look at how to manage and treat eczema — and what future treatment and management might look like.
• Week 4 – Art supplies: tools for living your most ecz-pressive life with eczema. This week looks at the resources available to people with eczema to help them live their best lives, whether or not they're flaring.
• Week 5 – Artist's collective: The eczema community is here to inspire you. This week shares advice and inspiration from the eczema community to remind people with eczema that they are not alone.

Offerings include an array of virtual events featuring NEA's ecz-perts and community members, educational resources, social media content and engagement, and support for patients and caregivers.

For people in the San Francisco Bay Area, NEA will present its first-ever pop-up gallery in honor of Eczema Awareness Month, showcasing the Ecz-hibition's images and poetry. The exhibit will be on display at the Problem Library, 1288 15th Ave, San Francisco from October 1-7.

"As our understanding of this complex disease continues to grow with the surge in scientific research, discovery, and insight, we anticipate improved therapies, care and outcomes for patients, and one day, potentially, a cure for eczema," Kristin Belleson, NEA president and CEO, said in the press release.

For more details as well as general NEA resources, go to eczemamonth.org.