On October 20 landmarks and venues across Australia will light up purple to raise awareness of Mastocytosis and Mast Cell Diseases – a broad family of rare diseases that can be life threatening and are very often severely debilitating.
20 October 2021 marks the fourth annual International Mastocytosis and Mast Cell Diseases Awareness Day. #SpotOurSpots is a national campaign which aims to increase awareness of mast cell disease and build hope for mast cell disease sufferers all over Australia. The Australasian Mastocytosis Society (TAMS) believes that as the broader Australian public learns about mast cell disease, awareness and understanding for both mast cell diseases TAMS will increase leading to greater investment in research for more accurate diagnostics and better treatments.
This year TAMS has partnered with 103 landmarks and venues across Australia to light up purple.
Mast Cell Diseases describe a group of disorders that are caused by the presence of too many overactive mast cells in the body including Mastocytosis, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) and Hereditary Alpha Tryptasemia (HaT). Mast cells are integral to our immune systems. Ordinarily, they are responsible for things like wound healing and aid in protection from diseases, viruses and everyday allergens.
However, in the case of mast cell disease their increased population and degranulation (as explained above) results in tremendous suffering and disability due to symptoms from daily mast cell release and/or symptoms arising from infiltration and accumulation of mast cells in our major organ systems. The symptoms ranging from mild/moderate can include rash, severe flushing, swelling, airway obstructions, migraines, cognitive disorientation, musculoskeletal pain, hypotension, gastrointestinal problems and syncope (fainting), to life-threatening episodes of anaphylaxis.
#SpotOurSpots in your local community.
