Press Release courtesy of NMO BRASIL, a Patient Community Day Supporting Partner
March 27, 2026 – World NMOSD Awareness Day (#WorldNMOSDDay), observed annually on March 27, mobilizes the global community around Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD), a rare, severe, and highly disabling autoimmune disease. The date highlights the importance of awareness as an essential tool to shorten the path to diagnosis and ensure timely medical intervention, reduce irreversible disabilities, and promote empathy and collective support.
March is already recognized in several countries as NMOSD Awareness Month, marked by educational campaigns, public initiatives, and digital mobilizations. In Brazil, the date has officially been part of the national calendar since 2023 — although advocacy efforts began in 2018 through NMO Brasil, making the country the first in the world to formally establish a date dedicated to raising awareness for the cause.
Brazil has also been a pioneer in high-impact symbolic initiatives, such as lightning public and private buildings in support of the cause. Notable landmarks include the Brazilian National Congress, Christ the Redeemer, and the Museum of Contemporary Art of Niterói, designed by Oscar Niemeyer, along with other buildings that illuminated their façades as a gesture of visibility and solidarity with people living with the disease.
In Brazil, these initiatives were the result of the work of NMO Brasil, which now leads an important coalition of organizations including Brazilian Academy of Neurology (ABN), BCTRIMS (Brazilian Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis), ECTRIMS (European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis), Patient Health Alliance, The Sumaira Foundation, European Charcot Foundation, Siegel Rare Neuroimmune Association, and NMO France, among others.
NMOSD is an autoimmune condition that primarily affects the optic nerves and spinal cord, potentially causing vision loss, paralysis, loss of bowel and bladder control, chronic pain, other severe neurological complications, and even death. Often mistaken for other conditions, delayed diagnosis can result in permanent damage. Early diagnosis and appropriate medical intervention can mean fewer relapses, fewer irreversible disabilities, and improved quality of life.
Awareness transforms realities. It shortens the path to diagnosis, reduces invisible suffering, turns doubt into information and judgment into empathy. It paves the way for research, expands access to treatments, and strengthens community support networks.
Today, worldwide, most patients struggle not only with the consequences of the disease but also with access to quality treatment. Although three medications have been approved by regulatory agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) among others, these therapies are high-cost and access remains difficult in many countries.
Throughout March, we will use the hashtag #WorldNMOSDDay to highlight the importance of a global date capable of uniting patients, families, friends, physicians, researchers, and organizations in one shared voice. This unity strengthens public policies, advances science, and expands the reach of reliable information.
As part of this year’s initiatives, a dedicated campaign website will be launched, bringing together information about the disease, diagnosis, possible long-term disabilities, available treatments, and the importance of ongoing awareness. The platform will serve as a trusted and reliable source of guidance for patients, families, healthcare professionals, and society as a whole.
www.worldnmosdday.org – #WorldNMOSDDay
About the NMO BRASIL
Brazilian Association of Patients with Neuromyelitis Optica and its Spectrum Disorders is a non-partisan, non-profit organization whose mission is to welcome, guide, and inform patients and their families, promoting education and social awareness about Neuromyelitis Optica (NMOSD). It also advocates for the rights of people living with the condition, contributing to access to diagnosis, appropriate treatment, public policies, and an improved quality of life.
- Contact: Daniele Americano, President of NMO Brasil
- Email: contato@nmobrasil.org.br