Every year on 14 September, thousands around the world stand together to commemorate World Atopic Eczema Day—an initiative first launched in 2018 by GlobalSkin and the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations (EFA). This day is now embraced by broader platforms, including the Global Allergy & Airways Patient Platform (GAAPP), to magnify the complexity of atopic eczema and its far-reaching effects on patients, caregivers, families, and communities.
The 2025 theme,"Our Skin, Our Journey,"is more than a slogan—it is a collective narrative. It honours the evolving, continuous path of living with atopic eczema (AE)—from childhood discomfort to adult life disruptions. At the core of the theme lies real-life stories: patients and caregivers sharing their joys, frustrations, flare-ups, innovations in treatment strategies, and even systemic challenges in accessing care. It’s an invitation to witness resilience and community-building, not just trials and suffering.
Too often, atopic eczema is dismissed as “just a rash.” In reality, the disease reaches deep—psychologically, socially, and economically. People with AE commonly face:
Relentless itch and skin pain, sometimes described as more unbearable than physical pain
Sleep loss, leading to reduced daily functioning and further stress
Mental health burdens, such as chronic anxiety or depression, reported by up to 30% of adults living with AD
Financial strain from frequent doctor visits, treatment costs, or missed work time
The caregiving impact—with family members, particularly parents, experiencing social isolation, emotional fatigue, and disruption in daily routine
The global burden of atopic eczema is staggering: over 230 million people live with AE worldwide, and it ranks among the top 15 nonfatal diseases in terms of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs).
A comprehensive WAED 2025 Toolkit offers ready-to-use social media cards, blank templates, Canva assets, press release drafts, and messaging tailored to the "Our Skin, Our Journey" theme. GAAPP echoes and amplifies those resources, offering multilingual toolkits and easy-to-follow guidelines for member organisations to localise and launch campaigns in their region.
In 2025, GAAPP encourages real-life awareness activities. Participating organisations are invited to produce and share short videos where people with eczema or their caregivers explain what AE truly is—beyond skin symptoms—to raise empathy and understanding. From late August through 21 September, video testimonials and stories will be showcased across campaign platforms.
To empower grassroots action, GAAPP offers a €200 communication grant to member groups. This helps fund at least one social media post and one video that spotlight lived experiences during WAED 2025. GlobalSkin likewise continues its grant scheme, offering up to CAD 2,200 for activity and marketing, and anadditional CAD 600for mental health–focused initiatives, up to CAD 2,800 total.
Real stories are at the heart of this campaign. Invite patients or caregivers to share short clips or written reflections: how AE affects their sleep, mood, work, relationships—or how they discovered a supportive community. Use the hashtag#AtopicEczemaJourney to connect to the wider global conversation.
Start with social media assets and templates from the 2025 toolkit, then adapt: translate phrases into your language, add local statistics or patient quotes, or insert organisational logos. Localisation increases resonance and credibility.
Grant funding can cover webinars, “ask-the-expert” sessions, e-learning modules, or virtual town halls. If permitted by local health guidelines, consider in-person meetups or support events. You might also buy graphics or print marketing materials to raise visibility in your community.
If your group applies for the mental health fund, create content or activities that specifically support emotional wellbeing—web workshops with mental health professionals, peer support sessions, or informational guides for coping strategies.
Use WAED as a launchpad to involve healthcare providers, researchers, patient advocates, and policymakers. Send press releases to national medical societies, invite speakers, or share findings and statistics publicly to influence local decision-makers.
What begins as a single-day campaign can spark ongoing benefits:
It humanizes AE, shifting it from an invisible or misunderstood condition to a lived experience highlighted by real voices.
It builds solidarity, uniting individuals across borders through shared narratives and common hashtags.
It supports advocacy, equipping patient organisations to engage media and policymakers with credible data and stories.
It sparks education, offering both practical tips to manage flare-ups and emotional insight to help friends or family better support someone living with AE.
Scientific progress in 2025 brings hope—biomarkers, new biologics, and personalized therapies for atopic dermatitis and other allergic or immune-related diseases. While these advances promise better treatment options, the daily lived experience of AE remains central to policy and care improvements. Innovations in precision medicine, expanded treatment access, and holistic support models—including mental health provisions—must align with the real stories shared each September to truly uplift AE patients worldwide.
Participate using the toolkit materials and share your local campaign on social media.
Connect with patients, carers, clinicians, and fellow organisations around #AtopicEczemaJourney.
Apply for grant support, whether from GAAPP or GlobalSkin, to fund your creative awareness efforts.
Report back, documenting how your actions made an impact—GlobalSkin reviews proposals and requires follow-up reports to support community learning and future funding cycles.
The theme"Our Skin, Our Journey"embodies this mission—honouring the stories, struggles, and triumphs of people living with AE. With accessible toolkits, grant funding, and a global network of support, this year's campaign offers powerful ways to elevate voices and make a tangible difference.
Whether you represent a patient organisation, a healthcare professional, or an individual affected by AE—you are invited to add your story to the tapestry. Share it, speak it, film it, post it. Together, our voices become impossible to ignore.
Join the movement this 14 September—and help the world understand that atopic eczema is more than skin deep.
