World Duchenne Awareness Day 2023

Since 2014, the Canadian Duchenne community has helped raise awareness of World Duchenne Day by organizing local monuments and landmarks to light up in red.

Click the button to the left to access our template and contact your local landmarks. Once booked, email us the location and date ([email protected]), and we’ll add it to the list. Be sure to take a picture and share it with us by posting it on your social media using #WDAD2023 and tagging @defeatduchenne on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Confirmed Locations Across Canada in 2023:

British Columbia

• Victoria Legislature (Victoria)
• Fraser River Foot Bridge (Quesnel)
• Science World (Vancouver)
• Olympic Cauldron and Convention Centre (Vancouver)
• Sails of Light, Canada Place (Vancouver)
• City Hall (Vancouver)
• Burrard Street Bridge (Vancouver)

Alberta

• Calgary Tower (Calgary)
• City Hall (Red Deer)
• Reconciliation Bridge (Calgary)
• City Hall (Lethbridge)
• Telus Spark Science Center (Calgary)

Manitoba

• Winnipeg Sign (Winnipeg)

Ontario

• Quinte West Sign (Trenton)
• Veterans Skyway Bridge (Trenton)
• City Hall (London)
• Canada Life (London)
• RBC Place (London)
• Sifton Properties (London)
• One London Place (London)
• Brant Street Pier (Burlington)
• Mississauga Clock Tower (Mississauga)
• Riverwalk Commons & Fred A. Lundy Bridge (Newmarket)
• Hamilton Signature Sign (Hamilton)
• Peace Bridge (Fort Erie)
• Niagara Falls (Niagara Falls)
• CN Tower (Toronto)
• Big Nickel (Sudbury)
• Toronto 3D Sign (Toronto)

Quebec

• Olympic Stadium (Montreal)

New Brunswick

• The Rooms (St. John’s)

Newfoundland

• Cabot Tower (Signal Hill)
• Confederation Building (St. Johns)

During World Duchenne Awareness Day (WDAD) 2023, we are dedicated to raising awareness and breaking down societal barriers faced by individuals living with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD/BMD). We believe that personal stories have the power to inspire, educate, and create positive change. That’s why we invite you to join us in sharing your own story on breaking barriers in DMD/BMD and making a difference.

By sharing your experiences and insights, you can help shed light on the unique challenges faced by individuals with DMD/BMD and offer valuable perspectives on how to create a more inclusive society. We encourage you to use the hashtag #DMDBreakingBarriers when sharing your story on social media, as it will allow your story to reach a wider audience and connect with others who may be going through similar experiences.

Here are a few examples of the stories you can share:

1. Accessibility: Post a picture of yourself in a public space, such as a museum or park, and discuss your experience with accessibility. Share any challenges you faced and how they could be addressed to make the space more inclusive for people with disabilities.
2. Inclusive Education: Share your experience with inclusive education, whether it’s attending a school that accommodates your needs or advocating for inclusive policies in education. Discuss how inclusive education can break down barriers for people with DMD/BMD and emphasize the importance of access to education for all.
3. Employment Opportunities: Talk about your journey in finding employment or creating your own opportunities as a person with DMD/BMD. Share the challenges you faced and how you overcame them. Encourage employers to provide equal opportunities and create inclusive workplaces.
4. Community Engagement: Share your experience with community engagement and advocacy for people with disabilities. Discuss your involvement with advocacy organizations, events, or initiatives and the impact they have made in breaking down barriers and promoting inclusion. Encourage your followers to get involved and support disability advocacy efforts in their own communities.

Your story has the potential to inspire and educate others, creating a ripple effect of positive change.

You can write your story and add photos or record your experience. We’d love to hear from you. Publish your story on social media with the hashtag #DMDBreakingBarriers tagging @DefeatDuchenne.

Plus, don’t forget to use the official World Duchenne Awareness Day materials in your posts. Click the button to the left to access download the campaign materials:

• Press Pack: The 2023 press pack contains information about this year’s theme, activities, and key facts about Duchenne and Becker.
• Logos: Download the file that contains all logos and images for World Duchenne Awareness Day.
• Fact Sheets: There are three fact sheets developed with information about Duchenne and Becker and females with dystrophinopathies.

People living with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD/BMD) face physical, healthcare and social barriers every day. Watch and share the World Duchenne Organization documentary that features stories from people living with Duchenne in Italy, Turkey and Mexico: https://youtu.be/e9k0OFzBXoI.