Samuel Alexander Kinnier Wilson was born on December 6, 1877 in Cedarville, New Jersey. This is the birth announcement written by his father, Reverend James Kinnier Wilson the day his wife Agnes gave birth to their son.

Our inaugural Wilson Disease Awareness Day was a huge success! Thank you to the following groups and organizations that we’re aware of who participated:

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Wilson Disease Awareness Day

In 2024 the International Wilson Disease Community was formed that includes more than 20 Wilson disease patient advocacy organizations around the world. While each country or region advocates for issues relevant to their patients and families, we all share the common goal of raising awareness for our rare genetic liver disease. With greater awareness and understanding, more patients can get diagnosed in time to be helped with treatment and live the best quality of life possible. Our shared goal is for everyone to know what Wilson disease is! We invite you to join us in our effort.

Below you will find a social media toolkit in English and Spanish.

Share these images on your social accounts

Share these images on your social media accounts! Click on the image you would like to share and then right click (or long tap on mobile) to save it.

Take a photo and share your connection to Wilson disease

Be part of a global viral campaign by getting a photo of yourself making the “W” sign with your hands. It not only stands for Wilson, but also for warrior. We are all Wilson warriors! Aida Regi with the Spanish Wilson Disease patient and family organization shows us how it’s done.

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We are celebrating the first Wilson Disease Awareness Day in honor of Dr. Samuel Alexander Kinnier Wilson (December 6, 1877 – May 12, 1937), the American-born British neurologist who the rare genetic liver disease is named after.

Building on the research of others that attempted to shed the mystery on this rare mysterious disorder, Dr. Wilson’s 1911 thesis described a familial nervous disease associated with cirrhosis of the liver.

Wilson disease can look like a liver disease, neurological disorder, psychiatric illness or a combination of these disease symptoms making it challenging to diagnose.

Dr. Wilson called the disorder Progressive Lenticular Degeneration. While he suspected a toxin was involved, it took another three decades for researchers to find that copper was the cause.

It would take another four decades until the first promising treatment option was introduced – penicillamine in 1956 by British physician Dr. John Walshe.

We are joining the International Wilson Disease Community in honoring Dr. Wilson, celebrating all the dedicated Wilson disease researchers and doctors and all Wilson patients around the world. On behalf of the global Wilson disease community, we are forever grateful for the tireless work of Dr. Wilson. We think he would be pleased with the exciting advances being made in Wilson disease.

Please show your support for our first Wilson Disease Awareness Day. On December 6, along with the images we created, also post a photo of yourself making a “W” sign for Wilson disease. Share on your social networks and share what your connection is to WD.

Use these hashtags

#WilsonDiseaseAwarenessDay
#Wilsondisease
#Wilsondiseaseawareness
#WilsonDiseaseAssociation

Día Internacional de la Enfermedad de Wilson

Este año 2024 se ha formado la Comunidad Internacional de la Enfermedad de Wilson, que incluye más de 20 organizaciones de pacientes con enfermedad de Wilson en todo el mundo.

Si bien cada país o región tiene sus particularidades, todas compartimos el objetivo común de generar conciencia sobre nuestra rara enfermedad genética.

Cuanto más se conozca la enfermedad, más pacientes podrán recibir el diagnóstico y tratamiento a tiempo y podrán tener así la mejor calidad de vida posible.

¡Nuestro objetivo común es que todo el mundo sepa qué es la enfermedad de Wilson!

Te invitamos a participar en la campaña del día Internacional de la Enfermedad de Wilson.

Comparte estas imágenes en tus redes sociales

¡Comparte estas imágenes en tus redes sociales!

Para descargarlas y guardarlas en el ordenador clica en la imagen con el botón derecho del ratón y en el menú que aparece clica ‘Guardar como…’.

Si utilizas el teléfono móvil mantén presionando en la imagen.

Hazte una foto, compártela y participa en la campaña viral

Participa en la campaña viral compartiendo una foto haciendo la señal de la “W” con tus manos.

No solamente representa a la enfermedad de Wilson, también representa a las personas luchadoras.

¡Somos unos luchadores Wilson!

Aida Regi, de la Asociación Española de Familiares y Enfermos de Wilson, nos muestra cómo se hace.

Utiliza este texto y hashtags en las publicaciones de redes sociales

Hoy, 6 de diciembre, es el Día Internacional de la Enfermedad de Wilson.

Una fecha para dar visibilidad a esta enfermedad rara en la que el cuerpo no elimina correctamente el cobre, acumulándose principalmente en el hígado y el cerebro. Esto puede causar daño hepático y problemas para hablar, moverse o caminar.

El diagnóstico temprano y el tratamiento son clave para prevenir complicaciones graves. Por eso, es fundamental darla a conocer.

Esta fecha conmemora el nacimiento del Dr. Samuel Kinnier Wilson, quien identificó esta enfermedad.

Súmate a la causa:

Únete al movimiento subiendo una foto con el símbolo de la “W” con tus manos o compartiendo este mensaje.

¡Hagamos que más personas conozcan la enfermedad de Wilson!

#WilsonDiseaseAwarenessDay
#enfermedaddewilson

Donations

Your support allows the WDA to maintain this website, produce educational materials, support research, and hold meetings for people living with WD, their families, and the healthcare community.

Membership

As a member, you have the opportunity to communicate your concerns, share your experiences, learn about the most recent advances in Wilson disease treatment and research, and contribute to important decisions that need to be made so the WDA can be a strong patient advocacy group

WILSON DISEASE ASSOCIATION

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