CMV Awareness Month

Will you SPEAK OUT with us? June is Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Awareness Month, an annual campaign intended to educate women of childbearing age about the risks of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) – the most infectious cause of birth defects in the United States. This year’s theme is CMV Speaks (#CMVspeaks)!

While the coronavirus pandemic is rightfully top of mind for all, National CMV remains committed to pushing for progress in CMV prevention and education NOW. Why? Because it is critical and necessary to forge ahead and make space for pervasive, endemic diseases that we will be contending with long after the pandemic has subsided. Let’s rally together to remind public health officials that CMV Speaks!

For our CMV Awareness advocates, friends, and families, we've compiled several ideas below to help increase awareness and raise funds for the cause. All proceeds will go towards our research, prevention, screening, education and outreach efforts. You're sure to find an option that suits you and your crew; there is something for everyone to enjoy and participate in!

Together, we can SPEAK UP, SPEAK OUT, and/or SPEAK SIGN LANGUAGE for CMV! Be sure to stay tuned to our website and social channels as more activities will be unveiled throughout the month.

Awareness Made Easy

Share Educational Fliers
A tried-and-true way to raise awareness is to post and share important and impactful flyers and graphics. You can share these widely with your family and friends. Sharing this information can help save lives and increase awareness of CMV. You can speak out through a simple click of the share button or by forwarding our flyers via email! You can access some of our flyers and infographics here.

Sign the Screen4CMV PLEDGE
We are advocating for congenital CMV to be added to the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP), a national recommendation that guides and supports states in the development of their newborn screening programs. Screening every child for CMV at birth opens the door for identification, early intervention, therapeutic support, and the very best developmental outcomes possible. Sign the petition today to show your support!

Text-to-Donate
Do you have two minutes? You can speak out for CMV via text! To make a quick and easy gift,  text “STOPCMV” to 41411.

National CMV Foundation Branded Apparel and Gifts
Looking for National CMV merchandise to help spread the word? Doing all of your shopping through Amazon so you don’t have to physically go into stores? You can shop the CMV store on Zazzle or donate a portion of your Amazon purchase to the National CMV Foundation when using Amazon Smile.

Get Social

Facebook Fundraiser
Are you among the estimated 2.6 billion monthly active Facebook users? Did you know that you can merge your love of Facebook with increasing awareness of CMV? Yes, you can create a Facebook Fundraiser for the National CMV Foundation and encourage your followers to join you in supporting the National CMV Foundation this year!
 
Click here and search non-profits for the National CMV Foundation.

Instagram Donate Sticker
Did you know you can now add a donate sticker to your Instagram story? The donate sticker can be accessed by opening the camera in the Instagram application, capturing or uploading a photo, tapping the sticker icon and selecting it from the tray. You can then choose National CMV as your nonprofit and customize the sticker to ask for contributions.

CMV Awareness Photo Frame for Facebook

• Go to www.facebook.com/profilepicframes
• Search 'CMV Awareness Month' then select your frame
• Click 'Use as Profile Picture' to save

Sample Social Media Posts
Social media platforms offer people opportunities and forums to discuss critical public health issues, like congenital CMV, as well as share awareness, education and prevention information. Here are a few sample posts, to get you started. And be sure to use our hashtags: #CMVawareness #stopCMV #Screen4CMV #CMVSpeaks #CMVkids #FacesofCMV

• June is CMV Awareness month. @NationalCMV brings public awareness to congenital CMV as a public health priority through education and research. Join me in supporting @NationalCMV!
• CMV is the most common viral infection, and the leading non-genetic cause of hearing loss, that infants are born with in the US. Every pregnant woman is at risk of acquiring #CMV. And only 9% of women know about it. But you can change that today! You can increase your awareness of CMV by visiting https://www.nationalcmv.org/overview/start-here.
• Spread the word, not the virus. 5 Simple Tips to Help Prevent #CMV - do not share food, utensils, drinks or straws, do not put a pacifier in your mouth, avoid contact with saliva when kissing a child, do not share a toothbrush, wash your hands.
• You can speak up for newborns! Join us and PLEDGE to put congenital #CMV on the Recommended Universal Screening Panel (#RUSP) to identify at-risk babies at birth and help improve developmental outcomes. Visit Screen4CMV.org to sign the petition today!

Share Your Personal Story

Many Faces of Congenital CMV
CMV Speaks through photos! A picture is worth a thousand words, share your story through photos! Submit a photo of your CMV kiddo and/or family and tell us your story! Perhaps include a 1-2 sentence testimonial about how congenital CMV has impacted your child or family. You could also share something you want people to know about CMV or about your child. Throughout the month, we'll feature a photo and testimonial each day for our 'Many Faces of Congenital CMV' series using the hashtags #CMVkids #FacesofCMV and/or #CMVspeaks. Click here to submit via email.
 
We Are Still Here
COVID-19 is an extremely important health topic and will most likely continue to be for some time. It is imperative, however, to recognize that congenital CMV is still an extremely serious health issue that doesn’t stop during a global pandemic. Take a photo of you, your CMV kiddo, or your entire family with a sign reading “We Are Still Here”. Be sure to use the hashtags #CMV and #wearestillhere. Reminding people that CMV is still an important public health threat is more important than ever. Click here to submit via email or tag @NationalCMV in your social post.
 
Stop CMV Hands
Take a photo of you, your CMV kiddo, or your entire family with “Stop CMV” written on your hand(s). You could also get more people involved by including your child’s doctors, nurses, therapists, teachers, etc. This is an important way to remind people that CMV is serious and also implies our important message that CMV can be prevented with good hand hygiene. Click here to submit your photo via email or tag @NationalCMV in your social post.

Awareness @ Work & School

Add CMV Awareness to Your Email Signature
Share CMV Awareness with every email you send in June. Just copy the message below. Toggle to your inbox. Paste the message in your signature. Done!

"EVERY pregnant woman is at risk of acquiring CMV. Congenital Cytomegalovirus, or CMV, is the most common viral infection, and the leading non-genetic cause of hearing loss, that infants are born with in the United States.  And only 9% of women know about it. Learn more."

Organize a CMV Awareness Month FUNdraiser 
Whether your office or school has reopened or you’re still working or taking classes remotely during #SaferAtHome orders, consider getting your colleagues or classmates involved in physical fitness challenges such as squats for screening, Russian twists for research, push-ups for prevention, elbow planks for education, or better yet, name your own challenge! Lots of fun, a little competitive fitness – great for CMV Awareness! Make sure to capture the fun, tag a few friends and share on social using our hashtags!

Awareness @ Play

Strides4CMV Worldwide
Join us along with our partners Canada CMV and CMV Action UK for a virtual 5K on June 27^th! Mix and match gray and orange apparel and accessories and run, walk, skip, jog, or roll at any time to help #STOPCMV. Be sure to share your photos with us by tagging @NationalCMV @CMVCanada @CMVAction! To register and learn more about the virtual 5K visit here.

Create Your Own Event
Create an event or fundraising activity that fosters competition, shows your expertise, or simply allows you to be social—virtually—where all proceeds support National CMV Foundation. To get started you can visit our website to access our fundraising toolkit, or visit the National CMV Foundation GoFundMe Page to create an event fundraising page. You can also contact us for help getting started.