Good Days, the nation’s leading patient assistance and advocacy nonprofit, proudly announces the observance of Chronic Disease Day across the United States, an annual awareness day established in 2014 focused on promoting healthy communities and addressing the escalating crisis of chronic illness. 

“This national initiative, symbolically held annually on July 10th to highlight the fact that seven out of the top ten causes of death in the U.S. are from chronic illnesses, underscores the critical need to address preventable diseases which account for 90 percent of the nation's $4.1 trillion annual healthcare spending,” said Clorinda Walley, president of Good Days. “By focusing on prevention and reducing this expenditure, more resources can be directed towards managing unpreventable conditions. This shift aims to make innovative treatments for these costly conditions more accessible, ultimately flipping the current dynamic where life-saving drugs remain out of reach for most Americans.”

Chronic illnesses pose the greatest threat to Americans aged 35 to 64, surpassing the fatalities from opioids and gun violence combined. Chronic Disease Day advocates to reduce the number of preventable illnesses, enhance access to care for unavoidable conditions, and foster healthier communities.

Chronic Disease Day activities are being held across the country, supported by a robust network of over two dozen national patient advocacy organizations and receiving official recognitions from state and city governments. Landmarks across the nation will light up orange in recognition of the awareness day, from Niagara Falls in New York, to Bank of America Tower in Dallas, Texas, to Aloha Tower in Honolulu, Hawaii. Tens of thousands of individuals impacted by chronic illness participate by using the hashtag #ChronicDiseaseDay to show their support on social media.

The official campaign features impactful in-person and virtual events with influential changemakers, facilitating discussions and actions geared towards better health outcomes. Esteemed speakers at official campaign events this year include Dr. Karen Hacker, director of the CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Management and Prevention, Dr. Josh Fessel, director of the NIH Office of Translational Medicine, Dr. Lindsey Criswell, director of the National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, and Dr. Blake Bextine, special advisor to the ARPA-H director.

Visit ChronicDiseaseDay.org for more information. For opportunities to get involved and support the campaign, please email [email protected].