Celebrating its 12th year, the World Vitiligo Day (WVD) took center stage on June 25th in Mexico, under the banner "Learning to live with Vitiligo". The emphasis was not only on raising awareness but also on improving education for patients and medical professionals.

In the span of two days, the key promoters, Dr. Jorge Ocampo Candiani of the Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon and Dr. Rossana Llergo Valdez of the Mexican Foundation for Dermatology (FMD), spearheaded the activities. The successful event was a collaborative effort with several renowned institutions and was steered by leading dermatology professionals like Dr. Judith Domínguez Cherit, Dr. José Alberto Ramos Garibay, Dr. Abraham Alfaro García, and Dr. Karen Férez Blando.

The proceedings kicked off on June 22nd with a press conference at the Senate of the Republic's Federalism Courtyard. In her remarks, Senator Antares Vázquez Alatorre urged for improved patient care and public policies that bolster visibility and understanding of skin conditions. Echoing this sentiment, Dr. Rossana Llergo stressed the progress achieved in awareness campaigns, thanks to the consistent efforts of institutions such as the FMD.

Highlighting the importance of WVD, Dr. Ocampo Candiani noted the critical role it plays in educating patients about vitiligo, its impact on their quality of life, and the availability of capable specialists. Dr. Torello Lotti and Yan Valle, both from the Vitiligo Research Foundation, made insightful contributions, emphasizing education, patient awareness, and vitiligo's connection to other immune disorders.

Yan Valle spoke about the growing global prominence of WVD, marking it as a crucial event among Health Days. He also introduced the Patient Journey Map, aimed at providing physicians and patients with an overview of the disease and appropriate treatment options.

The main event, centered on the theme "Learning to live with vitiligo", brought together the International Vitiligo Research Foundation, allied medical associations, and sponsors. They held an academic session featuring dermatologists from Mexico. Here, Dr. Torello Lotti discussed recent breakthroughs in vitiligo research and treatment. Valle presented the "Living History of World Vitiligo Day" and the "Map of the Vitiligo Patient's Journey", focusing on his experiences and the genesis of this significant date.

Support and information for patients marked the highlight of the 2022 WVD. A Patient Information Session was organized on June 25th at the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán. The session involved a series of talks and workshops aimed at helping vitiligo patients better navigate their lives. Topics included vitiligo's role in childhood, sexuality, the workplace, and even an aesthetic workshop on self-makeup. The session concluded with a photographic exhibition titled "Vitiligo: a colorful skin", celebrating the diversity and beauty of skin conditions, with patients as the main subjects.

World Vitiligo Day 2022 🇲🇽 Kick-off

Watch the video from Senate here

Watch the Sceintific presentations here