INTERNATIONAL THALASSAEMIA DAY 2026 | Global Activities Report Now Available
The Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF) is pleased to present the International Thalassaemia Day 2026 Activities Report, capturing the extraordinary reach, creativity and human impact of this year’s global campaign.
Held under the theme “Hidden No More: Finding the Undiagnosed. Supporting the Unseen.”, ITD2026 highlighted the need for earlier diagnosis, accessible screening, equitable care and greater recognition of the everyday realities faced by people living with or carrying thalassaemia. Its central message—Visibility. Voice. Value.—called for patients and families to be seen, heard and meaningfully included in healthcare, research and policy.
ITD2026 at a glance
- A record-breaking 120 landmarks and public spaces were illuminated in red as part of Bring Thal to Light.
- 151 activities across 58 countries were registered on the global campaign map.
- ITD-related content generated more than 3.8 million impressions across TIF’s social media platforms.
- Approximately 125,000 social media posts referenced campaign terms and hashtags.
- More than 60,788 people accessed ITD2026-related web content.
- 124 personal stories were submitted in written, video and artistic formats.
These figures represent only formally recorded activities, with many more initiatives taking place worldwide.
Through Your Journey, Your Story, patients and families shared experiences of diagnosis, lifelong treatment, resilience and hope. Meanwhile, red illuminations across Australia, Canada, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and many other countries transformed public spaces into powerful symbols of solidarity.
The report also demonstrates how awareness became action. Activities included carrier screening, educational events, patient–doctor meetings, scientific conferences, advocacy initiatives, walkathons, art competitions and media campaigns. National programmes addressed prevention, genetic counselling, transfusion care, iron overload, transplantation, gene therapy, mental well-being and quality of life.
Dedicated annexes document activities in Spain, Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates, and India, while contributions from patient associations, healthcare institutions, scientific societies, public health authorities, and partners illustrate the collective effort behind ITD2026.
Above all, the report reaffirms a message that extends beyond a single day: no person affected by thalassaemia should remain undiagnosed, unsupported or unseen.
