CMV Action, a leading organization dedicated to raising awareness and supporting individuals and families affected by Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and congenital CMV (cCMV), has announced the launch of their new campaign, CMV Warrior. This initiative has been launched to coincide with CMV Awareness Month in June and aims to raise awareness, provide support, and drive fundraising efforts to combat the virus and improve outcomes for those affected.
The campaign, which can be found at cmvaction.org.uk/cmv-awareness-month-cmv-warrior/, has four main objectives:
– Raise Awareness: By shedding light on what CMV is, its impact, and the importance of prevention, diagnosis, and support for affected families.
– Provide Support: By offering resources, guidance, and a supportive community for individuals and families navigating the daily challenges of CMV.
– Fundraise for Change: By inviting supporters to become fundraising warriors and take on challenges or run events to raise funds for CMV Action and support their work.
– Empowerment through Action: By encouraging supporters to become CMV Warriors and take steps to raise awareness, share stories, and support and advocate for CMV Action.
Chair of CMV Action, Sarah Dewar, shared her inspiration for the campaign, saying, “As Chair of CMV Action, I’m inspired daily by the resilience and determination of families affected by CMV. The CMV Warrior Campaign embodies their spirit. I hope that this CMV Awareness Month our supporters unite with us to help raise funds and make a meaningful difference for the future so no one has to combat CMV alone.”
For those unfamiliar with the virus, CMV is a common virus that belongs to the herpes family and can infect people of all ages. While it rarely shows symptoms in healthy individuals, it can be serious for babies who were infected with the virus before birth, a condition known as congenital CMV (cCMV). This can lead to hearing loss, vision loss, intellectual disability, seizures, and other serious complications. In some cases, it can even result in early pregnancy loss or stillbirth.
CMV Awareness is critically important, especially for women of childbearing age. Unfortunately, many people have never even heard of CMV. By raising awareness, we can help parents-to-be take preventive measures to protect themselves and their unborn child from the virus. Prevention is always the best course of action, and there are simple steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of transmission, such as washing hands regularly, avoiding sharing food or utensils with young children, and being CMV aware during pregnancy. The National Institute for Care and Health Excellence (NICE) has even included CMV in their guidelines for Antenatal Care, recommending that women be informed about the virus.
CMV Action also offers support for families affected by CMV and have real-life case studies available for interview upon request. These stories highlight the impact that CMV has on individuals and families and offer a glimpse into the daily challenges they face.
For more information on CMV Warrior and how you can get involved, visit cmvaction.org.uk/cmv-awareness-month-cmv-warrior/. Let’s join forces to raise awareness, offer support, and drive fundraising efforts to combat CMV and improve outcomes for those affected.
