join the Northern Illinois NOAH group to celebrate International Albinism Awareness Day!



Celebration of the International Albinism Awareness Day


Come to Celebrate IAAD with NI NOAH on Saturday, June 14th, from 10am – 12pm at the Butterfield Park, 385 E VanBuren St. Elmhurst, IL.



Family Gathering in the Park ~ Face Painting ~ Bubbles ~ Donuts and Coffee ~ Fun at the Playground (great for all age groups!)

RSVP by June 11th to acontant@albinism.org

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Marking the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the mandate on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism.

Image
The year 2025 marks the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the mandate on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism . In commemoration of this milestone, in her report the current mandate holder, Muluka-Anne Miti-Drummond , provides an overview of progress made in the implementation of rights of persons with albinism worldwide over the last decade. The Independent Expert also outlines persisting challenges and makes recommendations for the continued advancement of the rights of persons with albinism. 10th anniversary of the mandate  REPORT .
Read more

What is albinism?

Image
Albinism is a rare, non-contagious, genetically inherited difference present at birth. In almost all types of albinism, both parents must carry the gene for it to be passed on, even if they do not have albinism themselves. The condition is found in both sexes regardless of ethnicity and in all countries of the world. Albinism results in a lack of pigmentation (melanin) in the hair, skin and eyes , causing vulnerability to the sun and bright light. As a result, almost all people with albinism are visually impaired and are prone to developing skin cancer. There is no cure for the absence of melanin that is central to albinism. While numbers vary, it is estimated that in North America and Europe 1 in every 17,000 to 20,000 people have some form of albinism . The condition is much more prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, with estimates of 1 in 1,400 people being affected in Tanzania and prevalence as high as 1 in 1,000 reported for select populations in Zimbabwe and for other specific ...
Read more

Health challenges of people living with albinism.

Image
The lack of melanin means persons with albinism are highly vulnerable to developing skin cancer. In some countries, a majority of persons with albinism die from skin cancer between 30 and 40 years of age. Skin cancer is highly preventable when persons with albinism enjoy their right to health . This includes access to regular health checks, sunscreen, sunglasses and sun-protective clothing . In a significant number of countries, these life-saving means are unavailable or inaccessible to them. Consequently, in the realm of development measures, persons with albinism have been and are among those “left furthest behind.” Therefore, they ought to be targeted for human rights interventions in the manner envisioned by the Sustainable Development Goals . Due to a lack of melanin in the skin and eyes, persons with albinism often have permanent visual impairment. They also face discrimination due to their skin colour ; as such, they are often subject to multiple and intersecting discrimina...
Read more