Category: World AS Day

ASIF is delighted to offer our members the opportunity to apply for a £500 World AS Day (WASD) Social Media Grant. The grant is to be used exclusively for boosting WASD social media posts and ads.  

In previous years ASIF has boosted WASD posts to countries where our members operate, however the posts have linked back to our website. We believe it would be more beneficial to people living with axSpA in those countries if the content was boosted on our members’ channels and linked directly to their websites. 

We understand that many of our members do not have the funding available for social media. We hope these six £500 grants enable members to raise awareness with more people during the WASD campaign period.   

Over recent years the algorithms used by the main social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, X (formally Twitter) and Linked In) have made it increasingly difficult to reach significant numbers of people through organic (non-boosted) posts. Paid campaigns ensure that content is seen by more people and can be targeted to specific audiences.   

Eligibility: The organisation must be a member of ASIF. 

Number of grants available: 6 

Support: ASIF will run a webinar demonstrating how to boost posts and create ads, and use analytics to measure performance. It will also cover how to target specific audiences across each of the social media platforms listed above. All members are welcome to attend the webinar, regardless of whether they are a grant recipient or not. 

We understand that managing social media can feel overwhelming with all the different platforms and options, which is why we can arrange additional one-to-one or small-group sessions following the webinar. 

Post-WASD: It is a condition of the grant that the recipient provides feedback on the results of the boosting/ad campaign in terms of number of people reached and engagement levels etc. Details of the information required will be provided to the grant recipient prior to WASD. The report is not intended to be onerous, it will simply provide important feedback on the success of the campaign. This feedback will help to create a picture of the global impact WASD has and will help inform the decision to provide future grants.

Deadline for the Post-WASD Report: 8 June 2024

Application deadline: 10 January 2024 

 

For more information or to arrange a short video call before applying please contact us. 

Obligations of grant recipient: 

• When confirmation of the grant is provided to the organisation:
  • Sign the agreement
  • Provide bank account details

The grant recipient agrees to:

• Spend the grant exclusively on paid social media – the grant must not be spent on staffing or other costs
• By 8 June 2024: 
  • To complete the evaluation form provided by ASIF, detailing how the grant was spent and its impact  
  • To provide receipts to evidence the spend 
  • To return any unused portion of the grant to ASIF 

Decision Making Process

Applications will be considered by the ASIF team and endorsed by the Trustee Board, who work to the Charity Commission C27 guidelines on trustee decision making.

Grants are awarded entirely at the discretion of the trustees and their decision is final.

Criteria

The Trustees will consider the applications based on: 

• Size of organisation (preference will be given to organisations with limited financial resources)
• Current social media presence (preference will be given to organisations that have an existing social media presence – even if it is small)
• The response in the application form to the question: How would your organisation use the grant to boost your social media activity in support of the World AS Day campaign?

Successful applicants will be informed by 31 January. 

It was great to see so many of our members and industry partners at our World AS Day Webinar on 6 February. If you missed it, you can watch the recording here. During the webinar, we explored the social media campaign, demonstrated how the social media assets can be tailored to local audiences, and previewed the animations.

The social media content calendar has now been added to the Toolkit. All the materials are available to download from the webpage.

Tell us about your event! Complete the online form and we’ll add your event to the World AS Day webpage and post about it on our social media channels.

 

Awareness raised with 48 million people!

 

Read more

 

 

 

The World AS Day awareness campaign reached more than 48 million people around the world.

This is a significant jump from previous years. And that is just half the story – our members, industry partners, healthcare practitioners and people living with axSpA posted, tweeted and shared content through their own channels resulting in the awareness campaign reaching a much larger number. In addition to social media, in-person and online events were held around the world, including a series of walks in South Africa, workshops in Colombia, and conferences in Italy and Spain.

More than 70,000 people visited the ASIF website during the campaign, with over 90% of them spending enough time on the World AS Day page to understand the campaign and learn more about axSpA.

A comprehensive report on the campaign is being written and will be shared with members soon.

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Global Stretching Events

Yoga for AS

Two ‘Stretch and Move’ events got people moving on World AS Day

The sessions are available to watch on our website. They will feature on our Resources webpage long-term so they can be used at any time.

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Walk Your AS Off

This year 86 teams from 39 countries reported over 102 million steps on our way to Mars!

Uniting for a Shared Cause

The Walk Your AS Off campaign rallied individuals affected by axSpA and AS, their families, friends, and supporters, generating a powerful sense of unity. Together, participants embarked on a journey, symbolising the daily challenges faced by those living with the disease.

The impact of the 2023 Walk Your AS Off Campaign was felt not only within the community but also in the broader public sphere. Through the dedication and passion of participants, the campaign spread awareness, educating others about the condition, and broke down stigmas associated with invisible illnesses.

As Cheryl said, “I had no idea I could do even 200 steps a day. When I was inspired to join Walk Your AS Off, I couldn’t believe I was doing thousands of steps a day and I could see and feel my progress. Walk Your AS Off gave me the courage and community I needed to take steps to be more active and I’m so very grateful for that.”

A Global Movement

One of the most remarkable aspects of Walk Your AS Off is its ability to connect individuals from all over the world. The campaign transcends borders, fostering a global movement that promotes solidarity, empathy, and understanding. It has created an international platform for sharing experiences, providing support, and spreading awareness about axSpa on a global scale.
Congratulations and Appreciation

To every participant, supporter, and volunteer involved in this year’s campaign, we extend our heartfelt congratulations and deepest appreciation. Each step taken, every conversation initiated, and every dollar raised has made a difference in the lives of individuals living with AS.

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2023 Global Spondyloarthritis Summit

Recap of SAA’s 5th Annual Global Spondyloarthritis Summit

Held each year across World AS Day during SpA Awareness Month, the Summit features 12 global rheumatology and health experts, presentations and speakers are vetted by an advisory committee composed of patients and physicians to identify the topics that are most important for people living with the disease.

Now in its fifth year, the Summit had more than 3,000 registrants attend from 92 countries. Our post event survey found that 98% of respondents would recommend the Summit to others living with SpA, and 99% plan to attend in 2024!

This year’s program featured the topics below:

• What is Spondyloarthritis? An Overview presented by Christine Stamatos, DNP, ANP-C, Northwell Health
• Medications for SpA – Including New (i.e., JAKs) and What’s on the Horizon. Drug Combinations & Interactions presented by Robert Inman MD, FRCPC, FACP, FRCP (Edin), Schroeder Arthritis Institute at University of Toronto
• SpA Research Update (Advanced Topic) presented by Kristi Kuhn, MD, Ph.D., University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
• Cardiovascular Disease and Spondyloarthritis presented by Jean Liew, MD, MS, Boston University School of Medicine
• When is Spine Surgery Recommended? Albert P. Wong, MD, DOCS Surgical Hospital
• The Role of Genetics in Spondyloarthritis. Genes Associated (HLA-B27 and Beyond), Heritability (Advanced Topic) presented by Judith Smith, MD, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
• Women & Spondyloarthritis: Childbearing Years Through Menopause presented by Peter Taylor, MA, Ph.D., FRCP, FRCPE, University of Oxford
• Sleep & Spondyloarthritis presented by Soha Dolatabadi, MD, Arthritis and Pain Relief Medical Center
• We’d Like to Know: Cannabis Update presented by Mary-Ann Fitzcharles, MD, McGill University
• Diet & Nutrition: How/Why Does Gut Microbiome Affect Spondyloarthritis (Advanced Topic) presented by Mathew Stoll, MD, Ph.D., MSCS, University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Flares: Possible Triggers to Avoid & How to Treat a Flare presented by Pendleton Wickersham, MD, FACP, Arthritis Associates PA
• Tai Chi: Meditation in Motion with Live Demonstration presented by Soneka Lee, DPT, Golden Days Wellness Training, LLC

In addition, the Summit also featured other interactive elements such as a Leaderboard Challenge, Daily Quizzes, BASDAI calculator, Exhibit Hall, Poster Hall, and yoga programs in the activity lounge. We are grateful to everyone who played a role in helping to make the Summit successful, including our sponsors and our partners.

Learn more about this year’s program.