World Vitiligo Day
World Vitiligo Day was established by Ogo Maduewesi, founder of VITSAF in Nigeria, and Yan Valle, the CEO of the Vitiligo Research Foundation, and first celebrated in 2011. The overarching goal of the event has been to generate awareness of vitiligo in the general public, to educate health care providers about its appropriate care and treatment, and to raise funds needed for research. It has accomplished this and more, becoming a global event and raising awareness and recognition of the bullying, social neglect, psychological trauma, and disability of the tens of millions of people worldwide who suffer from vitiligo.
What is the World Vitiligo Day Conference?
The vision for the first World Vitiligo Day Conference in the U.S. began after a conversation among Valarie Molyneaux of Boston VITFriends, Natasha Pierre McCarthy of Atlanta Vitiligo Bond, and Kim Boyd of Detroit V-Strong about the importance of bringing members of their groups together to make a difference for those suffering with vitiligo. They energized their members and with strong leadership and organization from Valarie and others the conference was held on the U.S. Capitol steps in Washington D.C. in 2016. Attendees were present from Africa, Russia, Canada, and the U.S. In 2017, vitiligo organizations from across the U.S. and Canada, along with nine renowned dermatologists and vitiligo experts, gathered in Detroit, MI for the second World Vitiligo Day Conference hosted by V-Strong support group that is based there, and supported by the Clarity LTF (Lee Thomas Jr. Foundation) and Global Vitiligo Foundation.