AARDA to mark National Autoimmune Disease Awareness Month with new initiatives

March is National Autoimmune Disease Awareness Month 2013.

To mark the annual event, the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association Inc. (AARDA) is encouraging the national and local media around the country to report stories on autoimmune diseases (AD) and autoimmunity as a category of disease.

AARDA itself will undertake a number of new initiatives throughout the month designed to empower patients and educate the public about the 100 known autoimmune diseases and their tendencies to affect women, cluster in individuals and run in families.

In March, AARDA will:

● launch a new multi-media public service campaign (PSA) designed to help patients work more effectively with their doctors in deciding on a course of treatment.

●unveil the results of a new public opinion survey gauging Americans' awareness of autoimmune diseases

● announce the new "My Autoimmune Story" video series, asking Americans who have been affected by autoimmune disease - patients, families and friends -- to tell their stories in 1-3 minute video vignettes.

● participate in the fifth annual "Get RADICAL" Women's Conference, March 22-24, in Washington, D.C. Get RADICAL is aimed at empowering women both personally and professionally.