FASD Awareness Day
An international awareness campaign giving voice and support to those affected by prenatal alcohol exposure.
September 9th is International FASD Awareness Day
The 9th day of the 9th month recognises the importance of staying alcohol-free throughout the 9 months of pregnancy. Community events throughout the month of September provide opportunities to raise awareness about FASD and the risks of prenatal alcohol exposure, to support pregnant women and families, and to share this prevention message around the world. Read more about the history of International FASD Awareness Day.
Join our free FASD online event jointly run, between NOFASD Australia and the Centre for Excellence in Therapeutic Care (CETC) for more information FREE Online FASD Event
Red Shoes Rock for:
Turning invisibility into visibility
Starting conversations
Changing stigma into understanding and acceptance
Help us spread the word on social media
The NOFASD team would love you to help us raise awareness in the lead up to FASD Awareness Day on the 9th of September and have prepared some clues to help you do this on the social media platforms where you are active.
Click here to find some easy instructions on how you can do this.
It is estimated that 2-5% of Australians have FASD. Learn more
Why are we rocking our Red Shoes?
The Red Shoes Rock movement was started in 2013 by RJ Formanek, an educator and advocate living with FASD. He decided to wear red shoes to stand out, be noticed and have fun starting conversations about FASD. In his blog FASD: Presumption of Competence, RJ describes the challenges of living with a hidden disability: “Our brains really are structured differently, and they operate differently … and try as we might we cannot always fulfill those expectations placed upon us.” RJ Formanek is also the founder of the Facebook support group for adults with FASD, called Flying with Broken Wings.
In 2014 Jodee Kulp from Better Endings New Beginnings, a graphic designer and parent of an adult with FASD, stepped in to help RJ build visibility and get the word out. Jodee has made huge contributions as a co-founder of this volunteer-run movement. Their goal is to build awareness and momentum to celebrate FASD Awareness Day. Jodee and the Red Shoes Rock team provide a range of graphics which are free to print or share on social media. View them here.
Read more about the Red Shoes Rock movement.
Don Pentz, an artist and friend of NOFASD Australia, created and donated these beautiful animal images, providing an Australian theme for the Red Shoes Rock movement. Bookmarks, fridge magnets, brochures and t-shirts are available to anyone who plans to host an event for FASD Awareness in September. Contact us to request resources.
What you can do:
We encourage you to get involved! You might like to host an event, post on social media, display information, or have conversations with people in your community. Our Information Pack provides ideas. You may wish to download FASD Fact Sheets to distribute at an event, play a webinar, or provide your own presentation using our FASD 101 PowerPoint slides. NOFASD Australia also has printable posters for display.
Please have fun with the Red Shoes Rock campaign – an opportunity to get creative! Step out in your red shoes and post photos on social media. You might even like to get your pets involved! #RedShoesRock #FASDawareness
September Awareness Events
9th Sept join International FASD Awareness Day / WALK, along the Rockhampton River
We / CQ Youth Connect are hosting our annual FASD awareness walk 9th Sept. 3:30 – 5pm in Rockhampton, International FASD Awareness Day.
Everyone welcome, get involved:
- Walk in your Red Shoes, and/or create a FASD flag, banner or badge
- Meet 3:30pm at Customs House/New Art Gallery 9th Sept 3:30pm
- Then JOIN THE FASD AWARENESS WALK along the beautiful River to Victoria Park (approx. 25 min walk)
- Finish at the Grass area of Victoria Park (next to Skate park grass area)
- Visit stalls / Marquees with various FASD Information and enjoy FASD awareness Muffin and Red Apple.
Others may also choose to create own Fun photo and submit to CQ Youth Connect at CQYouthConnect@health.qld.gov.au
For more information CQ FASD Awarness WALK Red Shoes Rock FASD 2022 V1.0
Monash Children’s Hospital in Clayton
The FASD services at Monash Children’s Hospital in Clayton (Vic) (VicFAS + Jacana clinic) are holding an information stall at Monash Hospital entrance to mark international FASD awareness month. The stall will run from 11am – 2pm and will have information for professionals and patients of the hospital including maternity. We will also feature the Red Shoes Rock campaign.
Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation
The Public Health Unit of Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation organises FASD day event every year. To maximise our reach in the community, we invite our external stakeholder organisations to participate in the event. As a part of our New Directions project, FASD is one of the major focused areas we work on, so for this event our team will prepare educational brochures and giveaways from our different programs: Grow Well, TIS, Nutrition, New Directions and Health Promotions. In addition to this, to make this event more interactive and enjoyable, we are in touch with local music band to set up a live music station in our event. There will be food and refreshments for the community participants as well.
Please join us.
University of QLD in partnership with Carbal Medical Services
The research team from the University of Queensland working in partnership with Carbal Medical Services, an AMS in Toowoomba, QLD. The aim of our project is to support FASD prevention approaches across the whole of their service, and our project is called, ‘Strong Start, Bright Future’. Carbal would like to celebrate International FASD Awareness Day this year by having an information stall set up in their clinic wait room, as well as us speaking with one of their mothers’ groups. We will provide free lollies to entice people to the table, where we hope to have a yarn with clients about FASD and hand out some NOFASD information resources.
Drug Education Network (DEN)
FASD Awareness Day
This Friday the 9th September is International FASD Awareness Day. To commemorate the day, the DEN team would like to invite you to meet with us and local community members Christine, Pauline and Naomi at the Bridgewater Library, to join in on conversation about FASD and healthy pregnancies.
By creating support for alcohol-free pregnancies, together we can improve our children, families and community’s health and wellbeing for future generations. Information and resources will be available from the 5th-9th September and community members will be available to chat with at the pop up event on the 9th between 12-1pm. We hope to see you there!
For information, support or resources about FASD contact the DEN team, or check out NOFASD Australia’s website by clicking here, or calling their info line on 1800 860 613.
Sunshine Coast Business Women’s network
Join the Sunshine Coast Business Women’s network on Tuesday 13th September for a delicious breakfast at Maroochy Surf Club from 6.45am where we will hear the inspirational stories of our 2022 award winners. This month’s breakfast is all about celebrating these amazing women.
NOFASD will have a information stall to promote awareness of FASD.
Be inspired by these amazing women that have been recognised in each of their respective categories, this will be a perfect morning to gain an insight into why they were selected as this year’s award winners.
We would love to hear how you are recognising International FASD Awareness Day! Please share your events on our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages or email admin@nofasd.org.au with photos and a story about your event.
Resources
NOFASD Australia is distributing bookmarks, fridge magnets, posters, brochures and t-shirts to individuals and organisations who plan to host an event for FASD Awareness in September (please be mindful of your community’s COVID-19 situation and restrictions when planning events). View our resources and contact us before September 1st to request a resource pack.
These free resources below can be downloaded and printed, or shared electronically, for a FASD Awareness event. Click the links to download:
FASD Awareness Day Information Pack
FASD Facts Brochure – what everyone needs to know
FASD 101 PowerPoint slides – to easily deliver your own FASD presentation
FASD Webinars – perfect for a digital FASD Awareness Day event
FASD and alcohol
In Australia an estimated 60% of pregnancies are exposed to alcohol, often before the parents are aware that they have conceived. An increasing body of research highlights the risks of even small amounts of alcohol to a developing fetus, with the most severe outcome being Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Learn more about alcohol and pregnancy
FASD is a diagnostic term used to describe impacts on the brain and body of individuals prenatally exposed to alcohol. FASD is a lifelong disability. Individuals with FASD will experience some degree of challenges in their daily living, and need support with motor skills, physical health, learning, memory, attention, communication, emotional regulation, and social skills to reach their full potential. Each individual with FASD is unique and has areas of both strengths and challenges. FASD is a hidden disability, as 80-90% of people with FASD have no visible features. Learn more about FASD
There is no amount of alcohol known to be safe during pregnancy, so it’s best not to drink at all.
The National Health and Medical Research Council advises that “maternal alcohol consumption can harm the developing fetus or breastfeeding baby”.
Recommendations are:
A. To prevent harm from alcohol to their unborn child, women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy should not drink alcohol.
B. For women who are breastfeeding, not drinking alcohol is safest for their baby.
Healthy pregnancies are not the sole responsibility of women. A fathers’ alcohol consumption impacts the health of his developing baby, and partners play a strong role in supporting alcohol-free pregnancy. Ceasing alcohol use together has been proven to be the most effective way to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
If you have any questions or concerns about alcohol and pregnancy, or FASD, please contact us or call the NOFASD Helpline on 1800 860 613.
The NOFASD Australia team are all rocking our red shoes for FASD Awareness this September – we hope you will join us!
