On May 17 hundreds of landmarks around the globe will glow blue and green
to raise awareness for rare genetic disorder that affects 2.5 million people worldwide and has no cure
NEW YORK – March 2, 2022 – The Children’s Tumor Foundation is pleased to announce that in recognition of World NF Awareness Day, May 17, and NF Awareness Month in May, architectural icons around the world will show their support in the global fight against neurofibromatosis (NF) by lighting up in blue and green, the official colors of the NF cause.
Launched by the Children’s Tumor Foundation in 2014 to increase public knowledge of this life-altering disease, last year the Shine a Light on NF campaign grew to over 300 landmarks around the world. Through partnerships with international NF organizations, the initiative has reached Australia, Canada, England, Isle of Man, Italy, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Spain, Scotland, and Wales. Famous landmarks and architectural icons that helped to Shine a Light on NF included Niagara Falls (New York), the National Theatre (London), and La Sagrada Familia (Barcelona).
NF is a genetic disorder that affects 1 in 3,000 people of all populations and causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body. It can lead to blindness, deafness, bone abnormalities, disfigurement, learning disabilities, disabling pain, and cancer. There is no cure yet, but this initiative serves to raise awareness and funding for scientific research into neurofibromatosis.
“We’re super excited to once again rally everyone to our global Shine a Light on NF campaign,” said Simon Vukelj, Chief Marketing Officer of the Children’s Tumor Foundation. “More than ever, people are looking for positive ways to engage in their community, and along with our international partners, together we’ll bring attention and hope to this very important cause.”
Shine a Light on NF is one part of a month-long awareness campaign that consists of online activities and community events designed to Make NF Visible and educate the public about this under-recognized and life-changing disease.
In addition to buildings lighting up, the Children’s Tumor Foundation leads the community in making NF visible through pushes to Wear Blue & Green on May 17 and Wear Green & Blue on May 22 for NF2. These visual cues, utilizing the official colors of the cause and the campaign, are another way that makes the movement accessible, declaring NF deserves our attention and NF patients deserve a cure.
Additional year-round initiatives that peak during NF Awareness Month are #EndNF and I Know a Fighter, making NF visible through the use of a shared social rally cry and storytelling hook that reflects the bravery NF patients exhibit in their daily lives. Community events also take place across the country and around the world.
For more information on the Children’s Tumor Foundation, as well as all NF Awareness Month campaign initiatives, please visit www.makenfvisible.org.
Partners can join the growing Shine a Light on NF campaign by visiting ctf.org/shinealight or contacting the Children’s Tumor Foundation at media@ctf.org.
Exclusive blue and green merchandise can be purchased at www.ctf.org/store.
About the Children’s Tumor Foundation
The Children’s Tumor Foundation is the world’s leading nonprofit dedicated to funding and driving innovative research that will result in effective treatments for the millions of people worldwide living with NF, a group of genetic disorders that causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body. One in every 3,000 people is born with some type of neurofibromatosis or schwannomatosis, which may lead to blindness, deafness, bone abnormalities, disfigurement, learning disabilities, disabling pain, or cancer. NF affects all populations equally, and while there is no cure yet, the Children’s Tumor Foundation mission of driving research, expanding knowledge, and advancing care for the NF community fosters our vision of one day ending NF. For more information, please visit ctf.org.
