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World Scleroderma Day 2026
FESCA is dedicated to transforming the lives of people living with scleroderma across Europe. As a growing umbrella of national patient organisations, we unite to amplify the patient voice and drive meaningful change in health outcomes.
Despite continuous progress, a lack of awareness and understanding of scleroderma remains a major challenge, particularly among healthcare professionals. Delayed recognition of the disease often leads to delayed diagnosis, postponing access to specialist care and treatment.
In 2026, we are building on the momentum of previous World Scleroderma Day campaigns by putting the spotlight on the lived experiences of people with scleroderma. While the campaign will raise awareness among the wider public, its primary audience is General Practitioners, who play a critical role in recognising the early signs and symptoms of the disease.
Hear the Unheard campaign
For World Scleroderma Day 2026, FESCA is launching Hear the Unheard, a Europe-wide awareness campaign designed to increase understanding of scleroderma. The campaign will build on the often “unseen” nature of scleroderma, highlighting the hidden signs and invisible challenges faced by people living with the condition.
At the heart of the campaign are the personal stories that too often go unheard: the experiences of recognising the first symptoms, seeking medical help, and navigating the long and challenging road to diagnosis. By sharing these experiences, we aim to help better understand the patient experience from the very beginning and recognise the importance of early referral and diagnosis.
Our focus is on supporting General Practitioners to recognise the early signs of scleroderma, helping to reduce the time to diagnosis and improve patient outcomes across Europe.
Hear the Unheard gallery
