(Sept. 25, 2026) – Month-Long Observances
- ADHD Awareness Month (National)
- Audiology Awareness Month (National)
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month (National)
- Bullying Prevention Month (National)
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Awareness Month
- Chiropractic Health Month (National)
- Contact Lens Safety Month
- Dental Hygiene Month (National)
- Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- Depression And Mental Health Screening Month (National)
- Down Syndrome Awareness Month
- Eye Injury Prevention Month
- Health Literacy Month
- Healthy Lung Month
- Home Eye Safety Awareness Month
- Liver Cancer Awareness Month
- Medical Librarians Month (National)
- Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month
- Menopause Awareness Month
- Orthodontic Health Month (National)
- Patient-Centered Care Awareness Month
- Pharmacists Month (American)
- Physical Therapy Month (National)
- Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
- Prenatal-Onset GBS Disease Recognition Month
- Raynaud’s Awareness Month
- Spina Bifida Awareness Month
- Spine Health Awareness Month
- Substance Abuse Prevention Month (National)
- Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month (National)
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month
- Walk to School Month (International)
Week-Long Observances
- Oct. 4-10 – Healthcare Foodservice Workers Week, Health Care Supply Chain Week (National), Mental Illness Awareness Week, Midwifery Week (National) and Primary Care Week (National)
- Oct. 5-9 – Pediatric Nurses Week
- Oct. 6-12 – Physician Assistants Week (National)
- Oct. 11-17 – Case Management Week (National) and Sterile Processing Week
- Oct. 12-20 – Bone and Joint Action Week
- Oct. 18-24 – Healthcare Quality Week (National), Infection Prevention Week (International)
- Oct. 19-23 – Health Education Week (National) and Medical Assistants Recognition Week
- Oct. 23-31 – Red Ribbon Week
- Oct. 25-31 – Health Care Facilities and Engineering Week (National) and Respiratory Care Week
Recognition Days | Events
- Oct. 1 – Day of Older Persons (International)
- Oct. 5 – Meningitis Day (World)
- Oct. 6 – Cerebral Palsy Day (World)
- Oct. 7 – Trigeminal Neuralgia Awareness Day
- Oct. 8 – Depression Screening Day (National) and Sign Day (World)
- Oct. 10 – Mental Health Day (World)
- Oct. 11 – Day of the Girl (International) and Hospice and Palliative Care Day (World)
- Oct. 12 – Arthritis Day (World)
- Oct. 13 – Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day
- Oct. 14 – Emergency Nurses Day
- Oct. 15 – Handwashing Day (Global), Healthcare Security and Safety Officer Appreciation Day, Latino AIDS Awareness Day (National) and Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day (World)
- Oct. 16 – Food Day (World), Restart a Heart Day and Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy Action Day
- Oct. 17 – Mammography Day (National)
- Oct. 19 – Pediatric Bone and Joint Day (World)
- Oct. 20 – Osteoporosis Day (World)
- Oct. 21 – Check Your Meds Day (National)
- Oct. 22 – Stuttering Awareness Day (International)
- Oct. 24 – Prescription Drug Take Back Day (National)
- Oct. 28 – International Medical Day (National) and Senior Health and Fitness Day (National)
- Oct. 29 – Psoriasis Day (World)
- Oct. 30 – Hypophosphatasia Day (World) and Orthopaedic Nurses Day (International)
This complimentary calendar is your essential tool for planning community health events, campaigns and communications. With more than 240 observances and share-ready hastags, you'll save time and maximize your impact. With this calendar, you can:
- Navigate month by month with ease;
- Access more than 240 key health observances;
- Use direct links to the sponsoring organization's sites and emails; and
- Share instantly with built-in hashtags and handles.
As an SHSMD sponsor, Baldwin Publishing provides hospitals with free access to our healthy recipes and recipe calendar. Healthy Food Days (healthy recipe links to share on Facebook and in newsletters) can be found here: https://healthecooks.com/national-food-days#planner/planner. Visit HealthEcooks.com to see the recipe they're testing today, and please share it in your newsletter with your community members.
--Jan Fenwick