26 Days of Kawasaki Disease Awareness: Day 6

To celebrate the 4th annual National Kawasaki Disease Awareness Day on January 26, 2014, I will be posting 26 ideas on how you can spread KD awareness in your own community and beyond - one idea per day until the 26th.  

Here are the past days:

Day 1: Help make 'National Kawasaki Disease Awareness Day' officially recognized at the local, state, and national levels.
Day 2: Create an email signature to promote Kawasaki Disease awareness.
Day 3: Organize an art contest.
Day 4: Pass out KD awareness posters.

Day 5: Write about your Kawasaki Disease experience.

Now let's get to today's idea:

Day 6: Contact news outlets about running a KD story.

Most news outlets are always looking to the public for new and interesting content.  Many run special segments dealing with specific issues like health or kids.  Reach out to the local media in your area; you may be surprised how many outlets are actually available to you.  

Local television and radio stations welcome suggestions.  I went to my three local TV news websites and at each one I found a link from the homepage to a form you can fill out to contact them with story ideas.  Call your favorite radio morning show on January 26th and let them know it's National Kawasaki Disease Awareness Day, maybe they'll put you on the radio.  Web radio is another way KD advocates have reached out to the public.  

There are also many ways to reach out to the print publications and local newspapers in your area.  These publications always provide contact information for story tips both in their print and on their websites.  If you would rather tell your story in your own words, consider writing a letter to the editor.  


Check out these KD advocates taking advantage of local and web media outlets:

Television Spots (There have been more than this, but some of the videos are no longer available): 

1. Dana Aleman and Leticia DeGarcia were featured on a local spot on a Sacramento news station: "19 out of 100,000 American children between birth and age five will get Kawasaki’s disease. So what is the likelihood that the mothers of three children diagnosed with this disease live in the Sacramento region and work at the same hospital?" -- Local Children Battle Kawasaki Disease. Fox 40 Sacramento. October, 2013.
   
2. The Logan Family, founders of the Kawasaki Kids Foundation were featured on a news station in Denver: "Three-year-old Cooper Logan is battling a giant heart aneurysm. He is at risk of having a heart attack, all because of an illness that took too long for doctors to identify." -- Kawasaki disease looks like a virus, but could cause permanent heart damage in children. The Denver Channel. May, 2013.
3. KD was featured on the TV show The Doctors when the talked to actress Sarah Chalke about her son's bout with KD.  -- Scrubs Star Sarah Chalke on Kawasaki Disease. The Doctors. October, 2013.

Web Radio Interviews: 

1. Damage of Kawasaki Disease (Interview). Child Care Fusion BlogTalkRadio. May, 2013. 
2. Give Blood: Kawasaki Disease (Interview). Child Care Fusion BlogTalkRadio.  May, 2013.  
3. Know Kawasaki Disease (Interview).  Child Care Fusion BlogTalkRadio. April, 2013 
4. Kawasaki Disease: Ask the Expert. Webcast on Patient Power. August, 2007. 
5. Kawasaki Disease: The Race for Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment in Children. Webcast on Patient Power. July, 2007.

News Articles:

1. Solano Moms Seek Public's Help with Blood Drive. The Reporter. October, 2013.
2. A Look at Kawasaki Disease. 13WREX. October, 2013.
3. Schoales Acclimating to Collegiate Soccer. Port Orchard Independent. September, 2013.
4. Do It: Fairport's Clough Paddles for a Cause Close to Home. Democrat & Chronicle. September, 2013.
5. Little "Superhero" Named This Year's Children's Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals Kentucky Champion. Kentucky Kernel. September, 2013. 
6. Uncommon Childhood Diseases.  Canadian Magazine.  Fall, 2013.
7. Heart Transplant Girl Wins Silver on the Running Track. Bucks Free Press. August, 2013.
8. Mother Raises Awareness for Kawasaki Disease. KokomoPerspective. June, 2013.
9. Lynbrook High's Josh Huang overcomes disability to excel on badminton court, in classroom. Mercury News. May, 2013.
10. Kawasaki Disease and Heart Transplant: Kendall's Story.  CHOP Cardiac Center. 
11. Battling Kawasaki Disease: Ava's Story.  Illuminate Blog.  April, 2013.
12. After misdiagnoses, 7-year-old is treated for Kawasaki disease. The Suffolk Times. April, 2013.
13. Little Girl Battles Rare Disease, Community Rallies. North Fork Patch. April, 2013.
14. Surviving the Disease. AOL News. January, 2009.

Have you been featured in the media regarding Kawasaki Disease? Share a link with me so I can add you to the list.  If you plan to contact your local media, let us know how it goes! Come back tomorrow for Day 7 of 26 days of Kawasaki Disease Awareness.