Virtual Vigil Planned as Part of Sarcoidosis Awareness Month

April is Sarcoidosis Awareness Month and the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) is holding a virtual Memorial Monday Candlelight Vigil on April 26 to honor those who have died from the rare disease.

The hour-long webinar starts at 5 p.m. CST and will feature a special tribute presentation and speakers. The candle lighting — a part of other awareness month events — will “shine a light on the memories and spirit of our loved ones who have passed,” an FSR press release states.

To have a loved one acknowledged at the event include their first name when registering. If they are to be included in the tribute presentation, submit their first name, a photo, and a special memory of them to [email protected].

This year the FSR has partnered with candle company Scents of Adventure, which made a custom, “Celebrate Life” soy wax candle for the event. The candle’s label, on which there are four people arm-in-arm symbolize kinships and the joy of life. Participants may purchase the handcrafted candle here. The company will donate a portion of its proceeds from candle sales to the nonprofit FSR.

“We invite you to join us by purchasing this candle to celebrate and honor those we love,” states the candle description on the company’s website. “Light this candle when you are seeking peace and wish to pay tribute to the lives that touched your heart.”

The FSR also has other ways to mark awareness month. In 2019, more than 87 buildings, landmarks, and businesses across the U.S. and Canada were bathed in purple — the color that represents sarcoidosis — on April 13, World Sarcoidosis Day, to raise awareness of sarcoidosis.

This year, supporters may download FSR social media tools and change their Facebook profile frame to spread the word about sarcoidosis. An informational toolkit for patients also is available.

The FSR works to advance sarcoidosis research and support the sarcoidosis patient community through education, advocacy, and awareness initiatives.

In the United States, there are fewer than 200,000 cases each year of sarcoidosis. The disease is marked by an overactive immune system that leads to the formation of small clumps of inflammatory cells in different tissues and organs, affecting how they work.