Chiari Awareness Month 2026

When is Chiari Awareness Month?

Chiari Awareness Month runs for the whole of September every year. In 2026 it begins on Tuesday, 1 September and ends on Wednesday, 30 September. The observance is fixed to the calendar month, so the dates do not change from year to year. Within the month, the Conquer Chiari Walk Across America is traditionally held on the third and fourth weekends of September, making the second half of the month a particular focus for community events and fundraising.

How to Get Involved in Chiari Awareness Month

There are many ways to take part, whether you are a patient, a carer or simply want to support the cause.

• Wear purple – Purple is the colour associated with Chiari awareness. Wearing it during September, or hosting a “wear purple” day at work or school, is a simple way to start conversations.
• Join a Conquer Chiari Walk – The Conquer Chiari Walk Across America is a series of local walks held across September. You can join an existing walk or take part virtually from anywhere in the world.
• Share verified information – Post facts about symptoms and diagnosis on social media so that others might recognise the signs in themselves or a loved one.
• Fundraise for research – Conquer Chiari is the largest non-governmental funder of Chiari research, and donations directly support studies into causes and treatments.
• Light it up purple – Landmarks including Niagara Falls have been illuminated purple for Chiari awareness. Ask local buildings or councils to take part.
• Support a patient you know – Living with Chiari can be isolating. Checking in on someone affected, or offering practical help, makes a real difference.
• Advocate for proclamations – Many regions issue official proclamations recognising September as Chiari Malformation Awareness Month. Encouraging local representatives to do the same raises the condition’s profile.
• For personal health questions, use Conquer Chiari. This calendar covers the awareness observance and campaign planning; it does not provide diagnosis or treatment advice.

Noteworthy Facts About Chiari Awareness Month

• The condition is named after pathologist Hans Chiari, who described it in the 1890s.
• Conquer Chiari was founded in 2004 and is the largest non-governmental funder of Chiari research.
• The signature symptom is an occipital headache worsened by coughing, sneezing or straining, which is why diagnosis is so often delayed.

What is Chiari Awareness Month?

Chiari Awareness Month is an annual observance held throughout September that raises awareness of Chiari malformation, a neurological condition in which part of the brain extends into the spinal canal. It promotes earlier diagnosis, patient support and research funding.

When is Chiari Awareness Month in 2026?

It runs for the whole of September 2026, from Tuesday, 1 September to Wednesday, 30 September.

Who organises Chiari Awareness Month?

There is no single governing body, but patient charities lead the effort, most notably Conquer Chiari and the Bobby Jones Chiari & Syringomyelia Foundation, alongside neurosurgeons, researchers and patient advocates.

Links

• Visit the Conquer Chiari website
• Explore more awareness days at AwarenessDays.com

History of Chiari Awareness Month

Chiari malformation is named after the Austrian pathologist Hans Chiari, who first described the condition in the early 1890s. For much of the twentieth century it remained obscure, diagnosed mainly at autopsy or in severe cases. The arrival of MRI in the 1980s transformed understanding, allowing clinicians to detect the malformation in living patients and revealing that it was far more widespread than previously assumed.

The modern awareness movement grew out of the patient community in the United States. Conquer Chiari was founded in 2004 by Rick Labuda, an engineer and Chiari patient who understood first-hand the frustration of living with the condition. Drawing on his own experience, he built an organisation focused on education, awareness and research, and authored a widely read patient guide, first published in 2008. As the patient community organised, September became established as the month for awareness, supported by charities, walks and an expanding network of advocates.

Over the years the observance has spread beyond the United States as patients and clinicians around the world have adopted it. While much of the formal recognition, including state proclamations and the Walk Across America, originates in the US, the awareness month is now marked internationally, reflecting the global reach of a condition that does not respect borders. If you are interested in related neurological causes, you might also explore International Ataxia Awareness Day, which falls within the same month.

Related Awareness Days

• TM (Transverse Myelitis) Awareness Day – Another observance for a neurological condition affecting the spinal cord, with overlapping symptoms and patient experiences.
• World Mitochondrial Disease Week – A September awareness week highlighting a group of complex, often under-recognised conditions.
• International Ataxia Awareness Day – Marked in September, focusing on disorders that affect balance and coordination, symptoms that some Chiari patients share.