The list of 2026 healthcare recognition dates is here! It includes dates for employee recognition as well as dates for recognition and awareness of medical conditions/diseases.
The information is organized by month as follows:
- Monthly awareness – alpha
- Weekly events- Chronological, then alpha
- Day events – Chronological, then alpha
Dates that involve recognition of people or healthcare roles that may be of special interest to HR or management are listed in bold.
Do you wonder where these recognition dates come from? The origination of these recognitions was addressed in an earlier post. Sometimes they are created because of a requested congressional proclamation. Most of them are the result of related professional organizations creating the observances.
So, as always, let me know of any missing or newly created recognitions.
January
- Cervical Cancer Awareness Month
- Glaucoma Awareness Month
- Integrative Health Month
- Medical Payment Integrity Month
- National Birth Defects Awareness Month
- National Blood Donor Month
- National Eye Care Month
- National Human Trafficking Prevention Month
- Thyroid Awareness Month
- Cervical Cancer Awareness Week – Jan. 19-26
- National Activity Professionals Week – Jan. 26-30
- World Braille Day – Jan. 4
- National Pharmacist Day – Jan. 12
- National Activity Professionals Day – Jan. 23
- National IV Nurse Day – Jan. 25
- World Leprosy Day – Jan. 25
February
- AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month
- American Heart Month
- Gall Bladder and Bile Duct Cancer Awareness Month
- Kids ENT Health Month
- National Cancer Prevention Month
- National Children’s Dental Health Month
- Recreational Therapy Month
- Wise Health Care Consumer Month
- Burn Awareness Week – Feb. 1-7
- National Patient Recognition Week – Feb. 1-7
- Pride in Foodservice Week – Feb. 2-6
- Peri-Anesthesia Nurse Week – Feb. 2-8
- Cardiovascular Professionals Week – Feb. 8-15
- Cardiac Rehabilitation Week – Feb. 8-14
- Sepsis Survivor Week – Feb. 8-14
- Phlebotomist Recognition Week – Feb. 9-13
- Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Week – Feb. 13-19
- National Eating Disorders Awareness Week – Feb. 23-27
- National Women Physician Day – Feb. 3
- Peri-Anesthesia Nurse Day – Feb. 4
- National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day – Feb. 7
- Wear Red Day – Feb. 6
- International Epilepsy Day – Feb. 9
- National Caregivers Day – Feb. 20
March
- American Red Cross Month
- Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month
- Brain Injury Awareness Month
- Endometriosis Awareness Month
- Kidney Cancer Awareness Month
- Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month
- National Athletic Training Month
- National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
- National Nutrition Month
- National Social Work Month
- Workplace Eye Wellness Month
- National Aplastic Anemia and MDS Awareness Week – Mar 1-6
- Dental Assistants Recognition Week – Mar. 1-7
- National School Social Work Week – Mar. 1-7
- National Endometriosis Awareness Week – Mar. 4 -10
- National Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week – Mar. 8-14
- No More Week (Domestic Violence) – Mar. 8-14
- Patient Safety Awareness Week – Mar. 8-14
- World Glaucoma Week – Mar. 8-14
- National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week (US) – Mar. 8-14
- Sleep Awareness Week – Mar. 8-14
- National Poison Prevention Week -Mar. 15-21
- Healthcare HR Professionals Week – Mar. 16-20
- National LGBTQ Health Awareness Week – Mar. 16-20
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Week – Mar. 16-21
- Baby Sleep Day – Mar. 1
- Endometriosis Awareness Day – Mar. 1
- Employee Appreciation Day – Mar. 6
- Aplastic Anemia Awareness Day – Mar. 4
- Brain Injury Awareness Day – Mar. 4
- National Dentist Day – Mar. 6
- Registered Dietician Nutritionist Day- Mar. 11
- World Glaucoma Day – Mar. 12
- World Kidney Day – Mar. 12
- World Sleep Day – Mar. 13
- Health Workforce Well-being Day – Mar. 18
- World Social Work Day – Mar. 17
- Certified Nurses Day – Mar. 19
- National Marketing Day – Mar. 20
- World Brain Injury Day – Mar. 20
- World Down Syndrome Day – Mar. 21
- World Tuberculosis Day – Mar. 24
- American Diabetes Association Alert Day – Mar. 24
- National Medical Billers Day – Mar. 26
- Worldwide Endometriosis March Day – Mar. 28
- National Doctors Day – Mar. 30
- World Bipolar Day – Mar. 30
- World MS Day – Mar. 30
- Anesthesia Tech Day – Mar. 31
April
- Autism Awareness Month
- Cesarean Awareness Month
- Defeat Diabetes Month
- Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month
- Foot Health Awareness Month
- Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month
- IBS Awareness Month
- National Alcohol Awareness Month
- National Child Abuse Prevention Month
- National Donate Life Month
- National Minority Health Month
- National Primary Immunodeficiency Awareness Month
- National Volunteer Month
- Occupational Therapy Month
- Oral Cancer Awareness Month
- Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month
- Rosacea Awareness Month
- Sarcoidosis Awareness Month
- Sexual Assault Awareness Month
- Sports Eye Safety Month
- Testicular Cancer Awareness Month
- Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month
- Patient Access Week – Apr. 5-11
- National Cancer Registrars Week – Apr. 6-10
- National Public Health Week – Apr. 6-12
- National Integrated Respiratory Care Week – Apr. 7 – 13
- Black Maternal Health Week – Apr. 11-17
- National Osteopathic Medicine Week – Apr. 13-19
- Health Information Professionals Week – Apr. 19-25
- Administrative Professionals Week – Apr. 19-25
- Medical Laboratory Professionals Week – Apr. 19-25
- Pediatric Sepsis Week – Apr. 19-25
- National Volunteer Week – Apr. 19-25
- National Infant Immunization Week – Apr. 20-27
- World Primary Immunodeficiency Week – Apr. 22-29
- Transplant Nurses Week – Apr. 19-25
- Donate Life Living Donor Day – Apr. 1
- World Autism Awareness Day – Apr. 2
- National Employee Benefits Day – Apr. 2
- World Health Day – Apr. 7
- Wear Blue Day (Child Abuse Prevention) – Apr. 8
- National Alcohol Screening Day – Apr. 9
- National Marketing Operations Appreciation Day – Apr. 11
- World Parkinson’s Disease Day – Apr. 11
- National Donate Life Blue & Green Day – Apr. 10
- Transplant Nurses Day – Apr. 15
- World Hemophilia Day – Apr. 17
- Administrative Professionals Day – Apr. 22
- National Sarcoidosis Day – Apr. 30
May
- Arthritis Awareness Month
- Better Sleep Month
- Celiac Disease Awareness Month
- Global Employee Health and Fitness Month
- Healthy Vision Month
- Hepatitis Awareness Month
- Huntington’s Disease Awareness Month
- Lupus Awareness Month
- Lyme Disease Awareness Month
- Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month
- Mental Health Awareness Month
- National Allergy and Asthma Awareness Month
- National Cancer Research Month
- National Critical Care Awareness Month
- National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month
- National Hypertension Awareness Month
- National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
- National Speech-Language-Hearing Month
- National Stroke Awareness Month
- Neurofibromatosis Awareness Month
- North American Occupational Safety and Health Week – May 4-9
- National Nurses Week – May 6-12
- Huntington’s Disease Awareness Week (UK) – May 19-16
- Maternal Sepsis Week – May 10-16
- National Hospital Week – May 10-16
- National Skilled Nursing Care Week – May 10-16
- National Women’s Health Week – May 10-16
- Neuroscience Nurses Week – May 10-16
- Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) Week – May 14-20
- Healthcare Documentation Integrity Week – May 17-23
- National EMS Week – May 17-23
- Melanoma Monday – May 4
- World Hand Hygiene Day – May 5
- National Nurses Day – May 6
- Trauma Registry Professionals Day – May 6
- World Lupus Day – May 10
- Fibromyalgia Awareness Day – May 12
- Critical Care Wear Blue Day – May 15
- International Huntington’s Disease Awareness Day – May 15
- National Employee Health and Fitness Day – May 20
- Emergency Medical Services Day – May 17
- Neurofibromatosis Awareness Day – May 17
- World Hypertension Day – May 17
- National Speech Pathologist Day – May 18
- Hepatitis Testing Day – May 19
- National Accounts Receivable Appreciation Day – May 19
- International Human Resources Day – May 20
- National Medical Coder Day – May 23
- World Thyroid Day – May 25
- National Senior Health & Fitness Day – May 27
- World No Tobacco Day – May 31
June
- Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
- Cataract Awareness Month
- Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month
- National Aphasia Awareness Month
- National Cancer Survivor Month
- National Hernia Awareness Month
- National Men’s Health Month
- National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month
- National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month
- National Safety Month
- National Scleroderma Awareness Month
- National Scoliosis Awareness Month
- National Nursing Assistants Week – June 11-17
- Healthcare Risk Management Week – June 15-19
- National Men’s Health Week – June 15-21
- Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week – June 21-27
- National Skincare Education Day – June 1
- National Health Care Recruiter Day – June 2
- National Cancer Survivors Day – June 7
- National Career Nurse Assistants Day – June 11
- World Blood Donor Day – June 14
- Wear Blue Day (Men’s Health) – May 19
- World Sickle Cell Awareness Day – June 19
- National HIV Testing Day – June 27
- National PTSD Awareness Day – June 27
July
- Cord Blood Awareness Month
- Dry Eye Awareness Month
- National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month
- National Hemochromatosis Awareness Month
- National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
- Sarcoma and Bone Cancer Awareness Month
- UV Safety Awareness Month
- National Therapeutic Recreation Week – July 5-11
- World Plastic Surgery Awareness Day – July 15
- World Hepatitis Day – July 28
- National Intern Day – July 30
- System Administrator Appreciation Day – July 31
August
- Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month
- Digestive Tract Paralysis Awareness Month
- Healthy Lung Month
- MedicAlert Awareness Month
- National Eye Exam Month
- National Immunization Awareness Month
- National Psoriasis Awareness Month
- Neurosurgery Awareness Month
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Awareness Month
- Summer Sun Safety Month
- National Minority Donor Awareness Week – Aug. 1-7
- World Breastfeeding Week – Aug. 1-7
- National Health Center Week – Aug. 2-8
- Contact Lens Health Week – Aug. 18-22
- Health Unit Coordinators Week – Aug. 23-29
- National Minority Donor Awareness Day – Aug. 1
- World Lung Cancer Day – Aug. 1
- Cloves Syndrome Awareness Day – Aug. 3
- National Psychiatric Technician Appreciation Day – Aug. 5
- World Humanitarian Day – Aug. 19
- Health Unit Coordinators Day – Aug. 23
- National Grief Awareness Day – Aug. 30
- International Overdose Awareness Day – Aug. 31
September
- Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
- Dental Implant Month
- Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month
- Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month
- National Cholesterol Education Month
- National Infant Mortality Awareness Month
- National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
- National Recovery Month
- National Sexual Health Awareness Month
- National Sickle Cell Awareness Month
- Pain Awareness Month
- Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month
- Reye’s Syndrome Awareness Month
- Sepsis Awareness Month
- Sports Eye Safety Month
- Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month
- Healthcare Environmental Services Week – Sept. 6-12
- National Suicide Prevention Week – Sept. 6-12
- Vascular Nurses Week – Sept. 6-12
- Neonatal Nurses Week – Sept. 12-18
- National Assisted Living Week – Sept. 13-19
- Nursing Professional Development Week – Sept. 13-19
- National Surgical Technologists Week – Sept. 20-26
- World Duchenne Awareness Day – Sept. 7
- Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses Day – Sept. 8
- World Physical Therapy Day – Sept. 8
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day – Sept. 9
- World Suicide Prevention Day – Sept. 10
- World First Aid Day – Sept. 12
- Programmer’s Day – Sept. 13
- World Sepsis Day – Sept.13
- National IT Professionals Day – Sept. 15
- National Neonatal Nurses Day – Sept. 15
- National Working Parents Day – Sept. 16
- World Patient Safety Day – Sept. 17
- National Addiction Professionals Day – Sept. 20
- World Alzheimer’s Day – Sept. 21
- American Business Women’s Day – Sept. 22
- International Ataxia Awareness Day – Sept. 25
- National Food Service Employees Day – Sept. 25
- World Pharmacist Day – Sept. 25
- Human Resource Professional Day – Sept. 26
- World Heart Day – Sept. 29
October
- ADHD Awareness Month
- American Pharmacists Month
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- Clergy Appreciation Month
- Down Syndrome Awareness Month
- Health Literacy Month
- Eye Injury Prevention Month
- Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month
- Menopause Awareness Month
- National Bullying Prevention Month
- National Chiropractic Health Month
- National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
- National Disability Employment Awareness Month
- National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- National Liver Awareness Month
- National Medical Librarians Month
- National Orthodontic Health Month
- National Physical Therapy Month
- National Spina Bifida Awareness Month
- Rett Syndrome Awareness Month
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month
- Healthcare Foodservice Workers Week – Oct. 4-10
- Mental Illness Awareness Week – Oct. 4-10
- National Health Care Supply Chain Week – Oct. 4-10
- Customer Service Week – Oct. 5-9
- National Physician Assistant Week – Oct. 6-12
- Emergency Nurses Week – Oct. 11-17
- Healthcare Safety & Security Week – Oct. 11-17
- National Case Management Week – Oct. 11-17
- Sterile Processing Week – Oct. 11-17
- National Dialysis Technician Recognition Week – Oct. 12-17
- Healthcare Quality Week – Oct. 18-24
- International Infection Prevention Week – Oct. 18-24
- Spiritual Care Week – Oct. 18-24
- National Medical Assistants Recognition Week – Oct. 18-24
- National Pharmacy Week – Oct. 19-25
- Red Ribbon Week – Oct. 23-31
- National Health Care Facilities and Engineering Week – Oct. 25-31
- National Respiratory Care Week – Oct. 25-31
- World Cerebral Palsy Day – Oct. 6
- National Depression Screening Day – Oct. 8
- World Mental Health Day – Oct. 10
- World Arthritis Day – Oct. 12
- Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day – Oct. 13
- Emergency Nurses Day – Oct. 14
- Global Handwashing Day – Oct. 15
- Boss’s Day – Oct. 16
- World Spine Day – Oct. 16
- National Mammography Day – Oct. 16
- National Pharmacy Technician Day – Oct. 20
- World Osteoporosis Day – Oct. 20
- National Medical Assistants Day – Oct. 21
- Unity Day – Oct. 21
- International Stuttering Awareness Day – Oct. 22
- National Senior UTI Awareness Day – Oct. 24
- World Occupational Therapy Day – Oct. 27
- International Orthopaedic Nurses Day – Oct. 30
November
- American Diabetes Month
- Bladder Health Awareness Month
- Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month
- Gastric Cancer Awareness Month
- Home Care and Hospice Month
- Lung Cancer Awareness Month
- Mouth Cancer Action Month
- National Adoption Month
- National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month
- National COPD Awareness Month
- National Diabetes Month
- National Epilepsy Awareness Month
- National Family Caregivers Month
- National Healthy Skin Month
- National Hospice and Palliative Care Month
- National Marrow Awareness Month
- Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
- Prematurity Awareness Month
- Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month
- National Allied Health Professions Week – Nov. 1-7
- National Diabetes Education Week – Nov. 1-7
- National Medical Cannabis Week – Nov. 1-7
- National Patient Transport Week – Nov. 1-7
- National Radiologic Technology Week – Nov. 8-14
- Perioperative Nurse Week – Nov. 8-14
- Nurse Practitioner Week – Nov. 10-16
- Healthcare Strategy & Market Development Week – Nov. 15-21
- GERD Awareness Week – Nov. 16-22
- World Radiography Day – Nov. 8
- International Accounting Day – Nov. 10
- World Pneumonia Day – Nov. 12
- Operating Room Nurse Day – Nov.14
- World Diabetes Day – Nov. 14
- World Prematurity Day – Nov 17
- National Educational Support Professionals Day – Nov. 18
- Great American Smokeout – Nov. 18
- World COPD Day – Nov. 19
- National Rural Health Day – Nov. 20
- World Pancreatic Cancer Day – Nov. 20
- National Adoption Day – Nov. 21
- Computer Security Day – Nov. 30
December
- Give the Gift of Sight Month
- National Impaired Driving Prevention Month
- Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week – Dec. 1-7
- National Influenza Vaccination Week – Dec. 6-12
- National Handwashing Awareness Week – Dec. 6-12
- World AIDS Day – Dec. 1
- International Day of Persons with Disabilities – Dec. 3
