Started in 2017, 25th March marks FND Awareness Day in the UK, where we facilitate activities to raise much needed awareness of Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) and encourage you all to get involved.

Functional Neurological Disorder is a brain network disorder, and can affect anyone of any age. The neurological symptoms for many are severe and disabling. Access to specialist care, or lack of appropriate care, continues to be a serious issue in most parts of the UK. Awareness day allows us as a community to come together and be the #Voices4FND to influence change.

Prevalence is currently unknown due to the lack of regional reporting, however studies suggest 50-100,000 people are affected by FND in the UK and Neurologists will see cases in their clinics frequently. Sadly though, receiving the diagnosis proceeds no further for many as there is still little knowledge or awareness of FND. This leads to many being left struggling on their own, desperately trying to find any care and support which may help them. FND Action advocate for accessible specialist collaborative care for ALL. Whilst care pathways are being developed across the UK, it is still very much a postcode lottery and many have no access to any form of appropriate treatment. There needs to be urgent reassurance that people affected by FND will be given the best opportunity to a quality of life that is maintainable.

We welcome you to join us on 25th March to help raise much needed awareness, and listed below are some activities you could get involved in.

📢 Campaign Launch

FND Action are launching a “60 Seconds in My Shoes“ campaign, to give people affected by FND a platform to get their voices heard. By sharing a short recorded video, you help others understand the real-life challenges of living with FND – breaking down stigma and misconceptions.

How did you feel when you were first diagnosed with FND?
How has FND impacted on your daily life?
What do you want people to know about FND?

Your voice can educate, inspire, and bring much-needed visibility to this often misunderstood condition.

All you need to do is record yourself for 60 seconds answering the above 3 questions, then send it to us using the link below. Note, we may need to crop it if the timing goes over.

Some examples are shown below. We will then share it on our social media sites, and may be used to aid our advocacy work. No personal information is asked for, and at any time you can request we remove your video by contacting us through the website.

EXAMPLE RECORDINGS

Share your story

FND impacts not only those diagnosed but also their caregivers, family, and friends. Every experience is unique, yet so many people face similar struggles – misunderstanding, stigma, and the challenges of navigating daily life.

By sharing your story, whether as a someone living with FND or as a caregiver providing support, you can help raise awareness, foster understanding, and create a stronger, more connected community. Your story has the power to educate others, inspire hope, and let others know they are not alone.

Whether it’s a personal journey, a daily reality, or the highs and lows of caregiving, every story matters. Together, we can make FND more visible.

Click on the link below to submit your story and we will share them on our social media sites.

#InformTheDoctor Campaign

FND Action’s ‘#InformTheDoctor’ Campaign was launched in October 2022, to bridge the gap between patients and healthcare professionals by increasing awareness and understanding of FND. Many people face delays in diagnosis and a lack of proper support due to limited knowledge of FND within the medical community.

This campaign empowers patients to share reliable information with their doctors, encouraging better recognition, treatment, and care. Alongside this, FND Action are also progressing with sending out information sheets to every GP surgery across the UK.

By equipping both patients and healthcare providers with the right resources, ‘Inform the Doctor’ is helping people feel heard, validated, and better supported on their FND journey.

Knowledge leads to better care – let’s inform the doctors!

Click on the link below to find out how you can get involved.

Looking for some information to share on your social media sites for awareness day?

We have you covered!

If you haven’t seen this already on any of FND Action’s social media sites, you can download/save a copy by clicking on the image.

Lets make this the best year we have done as a community to raise much needed awareness!

Don’t forget your hashtags on social media!

FND Action will be using:

#Voices4FND

#FNDAwarenessDayUK

We will keep an eye out for others being used also, and make sure you tag us so we can share what you are doing on the day.

From all of us at FND Action, thank you for getting involved and your continued support.

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