22q Awareness Day 22/11

22q11 day
November 22nd is the International 22q11 Day, a European movement to raise awareness about 22q11 by illuminating many buildings in red across Europe. 

22q11 deletion syndrome
The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome is a chromosomal disorder that affects approximately 1 in every 3000 people. It can cause a wide array of bodily defects, the most frequent of which include learning and behavior difficulties, heart defects and hearing or feeding problems due to a malformation of the mouth and nose. The possible symptoms are very diverse, and everyone with the syndrome is affected differently. 

Why raise awareness about it?
The cheer diversity of the symptoms of 22q11 patients makes a diagnosis very difficult. In fact, 50% of 22q11 patients are never diagnosed. Yet, an early diagnosis of 22q11 can lead to a much better life for affected individuals as earlier treatments of symptoms can curtail their severity. Besides, early diagnosis allows parents to better prepare the arrival of their child, it helps health professionals to better adapt their treatments and educators to better adapt the educational environment. Raising awareness with the public will thus improve the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. 

https://22q11europe.org/22q11-day-2021-europe-lights-up-red/