We Must Rethink Cause Awareness Observances

My first husband and I met in a hospital psych ward. That sounds like the start of an off-color joke but given I say my ‘first’ husband, you already know how our marriage turned out.

I had checked myself in, physically depleted and deeply depressed. The eldest of six siblings, I’d always been the problem solver, the do-er, so much so that despite graduating at the top of my high school class, I immediately got a job, knowing, without my parents ever having to say it, that there was no money for college. We were and still are a close-knit family.  My parents were caring, highly creative people who instilled in me a love for writing and books. They believed strongly in family, in doing the right thing, which began by helping others who had less. We were also deeply dysfunctional. My dad, the product of a family riddled with alcoholism, chasing work down in Texas, bought a cheap piece of land where we lived without indoor plumbing while he built our house from scrap lumber.

Thus, I learned early to be resilient, financially independent, and find joy in helping others. None of that, of course, protects you from an abusive spouse. So, there I was, a few years into my marriage, cradling my two-year-old son in my arms, holding him against my body as a barrier between me and my husband. Though my ex primarily abused me verbally, physical attacks occurred often enough that as I curled my son’s tiny body into my stomach, I wasn’t sure if I was protecting him or me. The guilt and self-doubt about my mothering skills I felt after that day should have been reason enough to leave my marriage. But I didn’t leave. Not for several more damaging years. When I finally felt brave enough, I decided to start over in a new location near Washington, DC. It was only later, once we were settled safely, that my then-teenage son named the situation for what it was – domestic violence.

Though my personal life was falling to pieces, my professional career had taken off. After being introduced to the power of participation in clinical research upon my brother Levi’s death at age 21 from a rare, previously undiagnosed heart condition, I found my vocation – connecting people to the possibility of lifesaving treatments. I saw how clinical research that resulted in improved treatments for physical and mental illness helped reduce other seemingly intractable problems, like financial insecurity or the homelessness that threatened our family when I was young.

So as a senior healthcare executive and someone personally impacted by abuse, addiction, and other serious health issues, I know firsthand how desperately medical research facilities and nonprofit organizations need the money raised during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, International Poverty Eradication Day (October 17), National Friends of Libraries Week (Oct 20-26), and the 49 other cause awareness observances taking place this month and the 400+ held each year.

The proliferation of so many of these observances is a testament to the generosity of millions of Americans and donors worldwide and how effectively these campaigns have increased awareness of numerous illnesses and sociopolitical challenges like hunger, climate change, and gun violence.

But with so many and far too much overlap, I'm concerned that these awareness “holidays” too quickly fade into white noise that pollutes our social channels, email boxes, and data-overloaded brains. Here, then, are suggestions on how to make awareness campaigns resonate more with the general public:

Promote Intersectionality and Collaboration: The overlap of awareness campaigns is an opportunity. Solving mental health and substance use disorders can help prevent domestic abuse and gun violence, just as befriending public libraries that teach free adult literacy and Internet technology skills help address underemployment or joblessness. Organizations with related causes could collaborate, potentially resulting in more overall donations and a greater awareness of the interconnectedness of our most challenging social issues.

Highlight Personal Connection and Action: True awareness goes beyond labeling individuals by their conditions. People who've faced adversities often wish to be seen as whole individuals. Let's guide people to find unique ways to contribute through personal stories, volunteering, or supporting research and advocacy.

Focus on Quality, Year-Round Engagement: Instead of a cacophony of competing messages, we should strive for meaningful, sustained action. By emphasizing depth over breadth and year-round engagement over temporary observances, we can achieve enduring progress and create lasting change.

Angela Radcliffe is a best-selling author and speaker advocating for the importance of health, data & AI literacy to help people thrive in a data-centric world.