Big Plans for Rare Disease Day 2026!
Get ready to #ShowYourStripes
February 28th may seem like a long way off but behind the scenes, Medics for Rare Disease staff are deep in planning mode! It will be the fourth year running the campaign and it is set to be the biggest yet.
Yesterday we had a fantastic creative workshop with staff and ambassadors. It was a great excuse to reflect on last year’s campaign and how we can build on it.
Rare Disease Day 2025
Our Show Your Stripes for Rare Disease Day 2025 campaign was a concerted effort by staff, ambassadors and supporters nationwide. Our message reached thousands of healthcare professionals, medical students, healthcare influencers and MPs. The online gallery remains as a show of support for people impacted by rare conditions.
Sock seeding and web resources
Last year we distributed over 800 pairs of branded stripey socks (and key campaign messages) to NHS teams and medical students across the UK. The campaign was supported by a dedicated webpage including a downloadable digital media pack, to encourage supporters to share the campaign digitally.
Getting the message out – social media and partnerships
A calendar of social media posts, newsletter bursts and podcast mentions was created to promote the campaign. Crucially, we also worked with partners at the Department of Health and Social Care, Genomics Education Programme and individual trusts, clinics and hospitals to expand our audience as far as possible.
Training and events
Medics for Rare Disease ran its own Big Rare 101 training event, online and also supported events at the Universities of Oxford, Liverpool and Glasgow, as well as a Rare Disease study Day in Swansea.
Raising awareness, showing support
The majority of UK HCPs will never receive dedicated rare disease training. The Show Your Stripes campaign is a platform to engage healthcare teams directly. It enables us to raise their awareness of rare disease, establish its relevance to everyday clinical practice and highlight our free training resources. It is the only Rare Disease Day campaign to target healthcare professionals and encourage them to show support for people living with rare conditions.
Rare Disease Day 2026 is coming. Watch this space for further information on how you can get involved…
