June is CCM Awareness Month, and the Alliance to Cure Cavernous Malformation organization is inviting iconic landmarks, buildings, and businesses across the country to participate by illuminating in red and white to honor those impacted by CCM and help bring visibility to this often-overlooked condition.

This illumination is part of a coordinated statewide effort across Pennsylvania from Harrisburg Capitol to Philadelphia City Hall with bridges, parks, and all major landmarks, restuarants, residences, including Lincoln Financial Field, lighting up in unity.

The initiative formally recognizes June 15 as Elora Joyce Khan Pediatric Brain Cancer Awareness Day and aligns with a Pennsylvania House resolution led by Regina Young, a companion Pennsylvania Senate resolution co-led by Scott Martin, a Philadelphia City Council resolution led by Isaiah Thomas, and official proclamations from Governor Josh Shapiro and  Mayor Cherelle Parker.

This effort is supported by coordinated media coverage as part of a unified public awareness campaign across the region.

Pediatric brain cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related death in children. Most children ages 5- 9 years old diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) do not survive beyond one year.

Together, this marks a historic first of its kind recognition across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania bringing urgent visibility to terminal pediatric brain cancer and the need for research and action. This symbolizes visibility, remembrance, and hope for children, families, and clinicians.  

This special lighting would honor two significant and simultaneous occasions: the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the United States, and the Philippines' 128th Independence Day, both of which are happening on the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. The partnership between the Philippines and the United States is a historic milestone built on a foundation of shared democratic values and strong cultural ties. This long-standing friendship is visibly strengthened by the vibrant Filipino-American community, particularly in the Northeast United States, home to over 416,000 residents of Filipino descent. In Pennsylvania alone, the community exceeds 50,500.

Light up BLUE for Xavier Taylor, the 12-year-old boy who was struck in the neck by a baseball during pregame warm-ups with Maple Shade Youth Baseball on May 26th and remain in critical condition.

Spinal CSF Leak Awareness Week (“Leak Week,” June 1–7, 2026) is an annual international campaign dedicated to raising awareness of spinal CSF leaks, a debilitating and often underdiagnosed condition. Patient-led organizations across the USA, UK, and Canada coordinate educational outreach, fundraising, and patient storytelling throughout the week, with landmarks illuminating purple to help increase public understanding. This condition affects individuals and families in the Philadelphia area, and participation would help bring visibility to those locally impacted.

National Naloxone Awareness Day (June 6) heightens public awareness of drug overdoses, and the availability of life-saving opioid overdose reversal medications.
The awareness day was launched in 2023 by Victoria’s Voice Foundation -- a national nonprofit -- with support from a bipartisan congressional resolution recognizing the awareness day annually. Last year, more than 150 buildings and landmarks nationwide lit up for the awareness day.

The month of May is national Celiac Awareness month. This lighting is intended to raise awareness of celiac disease and show support for individuals living with it. The goal is to promote inclusivity, educate the public, and let those affected know they are seen and supported. Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune condition that affects approximately 1 in 100 people worldwide. Individuals with celiac disease must follow a strict lifelong gluten-free diet, which can make social dining experiences challenging and isolating. This lighting would serve as a visible reminder that the celiac community is valued, supported, and included.

Since 2020, Magical Mila’s BP Under 3 initiative at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has worked to change how blood pressure is measured in the youngest patients. Our team led a study evaluating the Welch Allyn blood pressure machine for children under age three — a device that measures blood pressure on the way up rather than the way down, making the process faster, more comfortable, and more accurate for small children. After presenting our findings to the CHOP Medical Device Committee, the machine was approved and is now used in nephrology, neurofibromatosis and subspecialty clinics, as well as all 31 CHOP primary care centers. Our advocacy also helped lead to important system changes within Epic Systems, including a new alert that identifies children at high risk for hypertension and updated blood pressure thresholds for infants under one year old — a population that previously had no defined thresholds in the system.

Education has also been central to our work. Magical Mila funds training and resources across CHOP’s primary care network, including toolkits with instructional posters, badge cards for medical staff, reminders placed on Welch Allyn machines, and distraction toys that help young children stay calm during readings. Our team has also hosted “lunch and learn” trainings at every primary care site to reinforce best practices. These efforts are making a measurable impact: when BP Under 3 launched in 2020, CHOP’s system-wide blood pressure measurement rate for children under three was just 1.7%; today it has risen to 78%. Since the program began, 183 children have been referred to nephrology for further evaluation of high blood pressure, and many practices are now achieving 75–100% blood pressure attempt rates — turning what was once the ceiling into the new baseline. 

The month of May is Huntington's Disease Awareness Month.
"Light It Up For HD" is a social media campaign we're running during the month of May where households, and local businesses light up their buildings in blue, to raise awareness for Huntington's Disease.

Our foundation, the US MEF2C Foundation, is working to increase the awareness of the MEF2C gene and the developmental disabilities associated with mutations and deletions of the gene. The MEF2C gene is on the 5th chromosome in region 14.3. Thus, MEF2C Awareness Day is on May 14th. We are hoping to light candles and landmarks worldwide to raise awareness of our genetic condition.
#LightUpforMEF2C, #LightUpBlueforMEF2C, #MEF2C, #5q14.3, #USMEF2CFoundation
https://www.usmef2cfoundation.org
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/usmef2cfoundation
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/usmef2cfoundation
Twitter/X- https://x.com/usmef2c
YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@US_MEF2C_Foundation

Celebrated annually from May 6–12, National Nurses Week is a moment to shine a light on nurses’ dedication and positive impact on health and wellness. With past activities such as landmark illuminations, social media campaigns, and public engagement events, we are committed to celebrating the nursing profession and sharing it with a broad audience. Each National Nurses Week, American Nurses Association, and the Foundation team up with nurses and nurse advocates nationwide, along with corporations and foundations, to express our collective support for the nursing community.

This May, the nation will solemnly come together to honor fallen fire service heroes during the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend—the official national tribute recognizing firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty during the previous year.

As part of this distinguished observance, landmarks, buildings, fire departments, and communities nationwide are invited to participate in Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters. Illuminating your structure in red serves as a dignified symbol of remembrance and a visible expression of support and comfort for the families of the fallen.

Renowned landmarks, including One World Trade Center in New York City, the Wrigley Building in Chicago, and Reunion Tower in Dallas, have participated in this tribute by lighting their structures in red to honor fallen firefighters.

The Memorial Weekend will include a Candlelight Service on Saturday, May 2, 2026, followed by the National Memorial Service on Sunday, May 3, 2026. Lighting the Philadelphia skyline in red on May 2, 2026—or at any time between April 26 and May 3, 2026—will contribute to a nationwide demonstration of respect, remembrance, and unity in support of surviving families.

Those wishing to participate in honoring these heroes are encouraged to contact Donna Clark at dclark@firehero.org to confirm participation. For additional information about Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters, please visit: https://weekend.firehero.org/events/memorial-weekend/light-night-fallen-firefighters/. Thank you for your consideration of this meaningful opportunity to honor our nation’s fallen firefighters and express solidarity with their families.

Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) is a birth defect that affects 52,000 babies each year. It occurs when a baby's diaphragm fails to fully form, allowing abdominal organs into the chest cavity and preventing lung growth. Globally, approx. 30-50% of babies born with CDH do not survive. The cause is still unknown, which calls for more research and awareness. www.cdhi.org 

The colors chosen for the cause are blue, pink, and yellow (if plausible). If only one color is available our preference is Blue. 

• Blue (RGB Code #3399FF) 

• Pink (RGB Code #FF99CC) 

• Yellow (RGB Code #FFFF33) 

CDH Research International is a 30-year-old non-profit working with 1000's of patients in 84 countries. We are the world's oldest and largest non-profit for Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. 

Many locations around the world light up on April 19th for Global CDH Awareness Day. https://cdhi.org/2025lightup

On April 17, 2026, the global bleeding disorders community will come together to celebrate World Hemophilia Day. This year’s theme is, "Diagnosis: First step to care,” highlighting the critical importance of diagnosis—the essential first step in treatment and care. Last year, Eagles Stadium, the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, One Liberty Place, Symphony House Condos, PECO Crown Lights, and TRIAD1828 joined us in this celebration. We would love to light up the entire commonwealth red for World Hemophilia Day to raise critical awareness for this rare disease and uplift those affected by it. Landmarks across the commonwealth will join us as well. I thank you for your support and consideration of this request!

World Parkinson's Day. Your participation helped shine a powerful light on awareness and hope for people living with Parkinson's. April 11th is World Parkinson's Day. #sparkthenight #pdavengers #worldparkinsonsday #parkinsonsawareness

Every year, on March 31st, we celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility--a day to highlight and honor the contributions of transgender Americans and advocate for their equal rights. The City of Philadelphia will host a flag-raising ceremony during the day on this day, so it would be great to round it out by lighting up the City that night.

This annual event brings together families from across the country to remember their loved ones, light candles in their honor, and hold space for the more than 1.2 million American lives lost to COVID-19. While much of the world has moved on, countless families are still living with the weight of their loss, still mourning, still remembering, still finding their way through grief. This ceremony, and the lights that accompany it, are for them. These families still need to know that they are not alone and their loved one mattered. #loveforthelost

March is Red Cross Month nationwide. Each year since 1943, March is proclaimed as Red Cross Month, and highlights the organization's role in collecting and distributing lifesaving blood, providing disaster relief and supporting military families and veterans. The month serves as a reminder of the need for community support in ensuring the Red Cross can continue its mission to help people in need every eight minutes.