SYNGAP1 Awareness Day and Ribbon
SYNGAP1 Awareness Day
The first International SYNGAP1 Awareness Day was announced by the SYNGAP1 Foundation, formerly Bridge the Gap - SYNGAP Education and Research Foundation on April 21, 2018. The day was selected by SYNGAP1 families from our former organization's program committee called the SYNGAP Global Network, established March 6, 2018, and now called the Family Advisory Counsel. Our committee comprised SYNGAP1 families worldwide and helped establish a day meaningful to the SYNGAP1 gene. We unanimously decided to make the month and day significantly dependent on the chromosome and the location of the gene. SYNGAP1 is located on chromosome 6 and situated at 6p21.3.
SYNGAP1 Ribbon History
The Syngap1 Ribbon became the symbol of the worldwide community of this rare disease globally and launched March 21, 2017, by the SYNGAP1 Foundation. Its design and colors were created and voted on by the SYNGAP1 families who are members of SYNGAP1 Foundation International Family Connect ~ Find Your Local Tribe.
The Meaning:
Zebra is synonymous with rare disease. This is based on the quote "When you hear hooves, think of horses, not zebras," Dr. Theodore Woodward tells his medical students. “When you see symptoms, you should first look for the expected cause, rather than the exotic.”
What do the colors mean?
💚 Green: synonymous with neurological diseases. Neurological problems caused by SYNGAP1 mutations affect the nervous system. 100% of individuals with SYNGAP1-related disorders have global developmental delay or intellectual disability worldwide.
💜Purple: It's the official color of epilepsy, best known as #Purple Day worldwide. 87% of #Syngapians suffer from epilepsy.
💙Blue: It symbolizes Autism. 60% of the SYNGAP1 children are diagnosed on the autism spectrum.