100 World Thrombosis Day Activity Ideas for October 13

Awareness is an important tool in combatting conditions and diseases by encouraging medical advances and educating the public.

As a World Thrombosis Day partner and advocate, creativity and capacity are crucial to engaging the public on or around World Thrombosis Day. Events to raise awareness can be held in a multitude of venues. To get started, view the list of ideas below. Pick a date and time and reserve a location. Set goals for the event and if you need a sponsor, research local organizations and companies with a vested interest. Gather friends and family to help with planning and promote!

The fact is that 1 in 4 people will die of conditions related to thrombosis, a largely preventable condition. Together, we can build awareness to help save lives! Will you join us?

Community / Work Place Activities

• Runs/Walks/Bike Rides to spur awareness
• Organize an official dog walk
• Community flash mob / dance
• Health fair – Participate or Host
• Community center display
• Awareness-building sporting event
• Town / neighborhood cookout / music event
• Break a Guinness Book of World Records Statistic
• Candle lighting
• Walk to work day
• Office-wide activity (Get up and move every 37 minutes)
• Local celebrity engagement – Ask for participation
• Light a building or monument in red or blue
• Dress a community statute in red or blue
• Work with your local town or hang a banner or flags
• Fly a WTD flag at your company, home or partner location
• Policy briefings; discussions about funding with government representatives
• Meet with public officials and share information with their staffers
• Partner with other community organizations to raise awareness; use an existing event or create your own
• Office olympics activities
• Information table at your company, local clinic or hospital
• Organize a fundraiser at a local restaurant
• Conferences / meetings / business gatherings
• Send out a mailing; a personal letter or a postcard with more information
• Leave educational resources at the post office or in grocery stores / markets
• Ask local cafes and restaurants to place table tents on their tables; post posters
• Ask your local school or child care center to make information available to families
• Work with a senior center to hold an educational event or leave information
• Giveaways / prizes / friendly competitions to raise awareness
• Golf tournament; information at fairs or seasonal markets
• Hot air balloon activity; airplane with banner
• Bus banners;
• Set up information at airports, train or bus stations
• Work with a local taxi company to share important resources with riders
• Community giveaways, information at gas stations, rest areas or travel stops
• Give information out at video gaming conferences / meetings
• Partner with your local video gaming store to share resources with every customer
• Plan a live thrombosis experience – creating a public blood clot to illustrate its impact
• Face painting, hair dyeing (red or blue)
• Share a story or testimonial with the global campaign at wtd@isth.org
• Office activity outside, i.e. Walk the Block to Prevent Clots activity for businesses in cities or towns
• Athletic activities, i.e. dodgeball, football, tennis or other
• Join the global WTD campaign for an activity in NYC, USA, or Brussels, Belgium

Media Outreach

• Hold media briefings with local reporters and journalists, don’t forget to mention WTD
• Press conference
• Public affairs / community radio opportunities
• Video / Public Service Announcements
• Media alerts / media invites to community activities
• Video news release (VNR)
• Submit an article, op-ed or column to your local newspaper or online news site / blog
• Distribute a press releases or media alert to local journalists
• Drop press kits off at media offices
• Share your story or testimonal with a reporter for coverage (be sure to share it with the global campaign)
• Invite media to your event – be sure to explain why it’s important for the public and use key messages and campaign resources
• Utilize social media to communicate with journalists and share links / resources

Health Care / Hospital Activities

• Free clinics
• Patient education seminars / workshops
• Staff education seminars / workshops
• Health Fairs for the community
• Prizes, games for staff to learn more
• Free giveaways throughout the day
• Celebrate with healthy WTD goodies in each department
• Staff an educational table in the waiting room or registration area
• Flash mob with dictors and staff; take video and play it in the hospital
• Place Information in elevators, escalators or bathrooms
• Use banners, posters and other signage to build awareness
• Wear pins, bracelets, T-shirts or other WTD branded items
• Doctor / patient briefings to discuss thrombosis
• Survey patients about their understanding of blood clots
• Invite an expert to give a presentation to staff or the public
• Use annuncements in the hospital to share important messages
• Use Hospital TV to share important awareness messages
• Media activity / event

Online / Social Media

• Join WTD on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram
• Use relevant hashtags: #WTDay17 #WorldThrombosisDay #KnowThrombosis #ThinkVTE #ThinkAfib #KeepLifeFlowing #StopDeadlyClots #JoinWTDay17
• Feature WTD content on your website, blog or other social media site
• Include WTD content in your eNewsletter or eCommunicaion
• Twitter Chat – Participate in the global Twitter Chat on Oct. 13 or plan your own
• Connect with other WTD partners on social media
• Blog / Be a guest blogger / contribute – ask other bloggers to participate
• Post videos and share with YouTube
• Film a video and post – share with the WTD campaign to elevate
• Plan a Facebook LIVE event / activity
• Video / photograph competition; digital games
• Use photographs; screen captures of educational resources
• Post Survivor or Clot Doc Selfies – Share with WTD campaign
• Post content and pictures in a Facebook Group / educate family, friends and colleagues online
• Include WTD banners and other graphics on social media pages
• Change your profile picture to a WTD Picture on/Around WTD
• Virtual reality experience pertaining to blood clots
• Ask other organizations / individuals to join the WTD campaign as a partner online
• Contest, giveaways, use of apps

Do you have an interesting activity to submit for inclusion on this list? Let us know at wtd@isth.org.

Happy Planning!