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| APRIL 24 – 30, 2011 |
National Infertility Awareness Week is literally just around the corner! NIAW stands for so many things in our community: support, empowerment, awareness-raising, hope. In many ways, NIAW is about community and how we strengthen each other in our journeys by raising awareness for our disease.
There are many ways you can get involved with NIAW and I encourage you to participate in ways that you’re comfortable. Besides the ever-growing list of NIAW events happening all around the country, I wanted to take a minute to highlight some of the various things happening around the infertility blogosphere and what you can do right from the comfort of your own computer. Whether it’s raising awareness via social media, an online book club, writing a blog post or entering a giveaway, there are a variety of ways you can get involved as an infertility blogger. Check out what’s out there in the list below!
+ BLOG CARNIVALS
Bust an Infertility Myth: Bloggers Unite!
Sponsored by RESOLVE, bloggers are invited to bust a myth about infertility via a blog post. You can pick from RESOLVE’s list of infertility myths or select one of your own. Each participating blog will then be considered for RESOLVE’s Night of Hope Award for Best Blog. Snag a badge and don’t forget to add your participating blog post to the list here.
IF We Believe! A Blog Carnival about the Stories and Faces of Infertility
Sponsored by blogger Up, Down and Natural, IF We Believe! is a blog carnival with a mission of tearing down the veil of infertility, and being able to express all the emotions, and daily infertility experience from the highs and lows, and everything in between. IF We Believe! Anything Is Possible… Particpating blogs will be entered into a drawing to win 20 ovulation predictor strips. See Arpita’s blog for more info and submit your post online here.
Hosted by blogger Melissa Ford of Stirrup Queens, ICLW is like a blog comment carnival. Bloggers sign up to be added to a list of participating blogs and commit to commenting on at least 5 blogs and returning 1 comment left on their blog each day of ICLW. It’s a great way to find new blogs and April’s ICLW always lines up with NIAW. Bloggers have until 11:00PM EST on April 21st to sign up for April’s ICLW and must add an ICLW badge on their blog. Sign up here.
+ SOCIAL MEDIA AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS
Share Hope (#sharehope) Twitter Campaign
Sponsored by Clear Passage, the Share Hope campaign seeks to raise awareness in 140 characters or less on Twitter during NIAW. Beginning on April 24, tweet your infertility story with hashtag #sharehope. Each day of NIAW, one tweet will be selected as the daily prize winner and will receive a book by a well-respected fertility professional; each of those winners will be entered into a Grand Prize drawing for 20 hours of free hands on infertility treatment at Clear Passage Physical Therapy. See their website for full details.
Sponsored by RESOLVE and MyDestinationFamily.org, a Twibbon adds a tiny RESOLVE logo to your Twitter or Facebook profile picture. One simple click can help raise awareness for a disease that affects 1 out of every 8 couples in the United States. Click the link to add your twibbon today!
Download an Infertility Ribbon
Bloggers Whitney and Erick think it’s high time the infertility community has their own ribbon- so they’ve made one to share online! Snag a version for your blog, your Facebook or Twitter profile pictures, or even add to your email signatures. You can really get creative. Check out Whitney and Erick’s blog to snag the codes.
+ VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB
Sponsored by the Law Offices of Amy Demma, they’ll discuss Jodi Picoult’s new book: Sing You Home. They invite all of their friends from within the infertility community (both colleagues and those trying to conceive) as well as friends, families and loved ones who want to support those struggling to build a family. Join in the discussions and posts on their Facebook page today!
+ GIVEAWAYS, CONTESTS AND PROMOTIONS
You have until 11:59 PST on Friday, April 22nd to vote for Parenthood for Me for the 2011 Leading Moms in Business competition, sponsored by Discover. Parenthood for Me is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to provide financial and emotional support to those building families through adoption or medical intervention. They raise funds to award family-building grants to those living with infertility. You can vote once daily, so do it today, tomorrow and Friday!
Save $5 on The IVF Companion During NIAW
Are you about to undergo your first IVF? Your third IVF cycle? Consider organizing yourself with The IVF Companion, a guided personal organizer with tons of resources for making sense of your IVF cycle. Check back after April 23rd to get the promo code.
Blogger Giveaway
Sponsored by blogger In Due Time, she’ll be giving away items every day of NIAW. Check back on her blog for all the details.
*If you’re hosting an event like these listed above and would like to be added to this list, send me an email to miriamshope {at} gmail {dot} com.
Soundoff! How will you be participating in National Infertility Awareness Week this year?
I know I'm going to participate in ICLW and the Bust An Infertility Myth. I ma also try to participate in the If We Believe event.