International Angelman Day: Feb 15

Two AS parents started IAD in 2013 and engaged 31 Angelman syndrome organizations from around the world to join their efforts. Today, IAD has grown to over 50 AS organizations participating worldwide!

February 15th is significant because February is Rare Disease Month and the 15th refers to the 15th chromosome, which is the chromosome impacted by Angelman syndrome.

The purpose of this day, as described by Angelman Day Info, is to:

• Raise awareness worldwide of the condition;

• Mobilize people to action & encourage fundraising for the individual organization in their country;

• Promote research and educational resources in the organization’s own country; and

• Remember those people with Angelman syndrome who are no longer with us. 

Check out last year's news round up and who "Lit it up in blue" around the world!

Ways to Participate

Below are resources for the community to share with others to help bring awareness to Angelman syndrome and your loved one's personal journey. If you need help or are looking for something specific, please email community@cureangelman.org!

Social Media / Digital: 

• Social Media Profile Frame

• Social Media cover photo

• More digital resources on AngelmanDay.info!

• Tag FAST (@cureangelman) & use global hashtags:

  • #InternationalAngelmanDay 

  • #AngelmanDay2025 

  • #cureangelman 

In-Person:

• Go Blue!

  • Ask your local council/city to illuminate an important building in blue and use the lighting blue toolkit as a guide!

  • Paint your nails  

  • Bake cookies 

  • Decorate your house 

• Create Awareness in Your Community & Classroom

  • Template letter from family to the school administration

  • Template from family to students’ parents (Class participation)

  • Template letter from school administration to parents (Full school) 

  • Print out and distribute coloring pages courtesy of Whitney Causey, Associate Professor of Studio Art at the Louisiana Tech University School of Design and mother of M’Lynn, who lives with AS.

  • Have a glow party with glow in the dark blue bracelets or wands - ex: Glow Bracelets

  • Purchase books to teach about Angelman syndrome:

    • Good Morning Gus

    • Sibling Stories

  • Show videos explaining AS to others:

    • Angelman Syndrome, have you heard about it yet

    • What does Angelman Syndrome look like?

    • FAST Facts by Easton Bryant

  • Reach out to your local media using this sample press release

Educational Resources

• Request a stack of "What is AS" business cards to pass out.

• Request a copy of our Understanding Angelman Syndrome pamphlet (physical copy or digital link) for parents, caregivers, family & friends.

Angelman Syndrome Research

• Learn about the Angelman syndrome drug development pipeline

• Explore Angelman syndrome literature in our new Repository

• Understand the tools available to streamline therapeutic development for AS

Join the Cure Angelman Network (CAN) 

• The Cure Angelman Network (CAN) is a group determined to help Cure Angelman Now. It is a community; a network of opportunities (big and small) to support one another and those living with Angelman syndrome.

Create your 2025 fundraising page 

• Fundraising is a vital way for the community to support FAST's mission. The high cost of drug development often falls to patient advocacy groups like ours, making contributions from families, friends, foundations, corporations, and the government essential to our progress. While the need is great, every donation makes a difference.

One of the purposes of International Angelman Day, is to remember those people with Angelman syndrome who are no longer with us. Although people who have Angelman syndrome do have a normal life expectancy, complications can arise due to the effects of this disorder, and many have passed on from illness or accidents.

They live in our memories.

Courtesy of the International Angelman Day website.