Every year on September 25th, International Ataxia Awareness Day sheds light on this rare disease. The day also inspires Ataxia organizations and individuals around the world to support action towards a cure.
Ataxia is defined as the loss of full control of bodily movements. In the medical world, ataxia is a degenerative disease of the nervous system. Symptoms include poor coordination, a tendency to stumble, difficulty with fine motor tasks, and changes in speech. Damage to the cerebellum causes the condition. A fist-sized portion of the brain located near the brain stem, the cerebellum controls muscle coordination.
In 1999, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) cosponsored the International Friedreich’s Ataxia Conference. The other participating organizations at the conference included the Office of Rare Diseases and the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA). The conference was the springboard for the first International Ataxia Awareness Day on September 25, 2000. The National Ataxia Foundation (NAF) organizes and promotes the event each year. The NAF was established in 1957 and is based in Minneapolis, MN.
Source: www.ataxia.org
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