Zebra print ribbon explained

The zebra print ribbon is the awareness ribbon for uncommon or rare diseases and cancers including but not limited to neuroendocrine tumors, carcinoid cancer, Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes, Whipple's disease and awareness of other rare diseases, cancers and disorders.

Origin

The zebra has been used as a symbol for rare diseases since around 1940. Dr. Theodore Woodward, a professor at the University of Maryland's School of Medicine^[1] used this term to teach students the basics of diagnosing disease: "When looking at a patient's symptoms, it is better to assume it is a common ailment, not a rare one – a horse rather than a zebra."

Usage

Rare diseases and National Rare Disease Day

National Rare Disease Day (also known as Rare Disease Awareness Day) is held on February 29, but is moved up a day to February 28 on non-leap years.^{[2] [3]} This day was launched by the European Organization for Rare Diseases in 2008^{[4] [5]} and is now recognized worldwide. The date of February 29 was chosen because it is a "rare day" due to the leap year.^[6] The symbol for rare disease awareness is a black and white striped ribbon.^[7]

In the US, the National Organization for Rare Disorders brings to light rare diseases, listing and defining more than 1,200 rare diseases that fall under the zebra awareness ribbon.^[8]

One of the rarest diseases on the list is the neuroendocrine tumors; this diagnosis has only been given to 2% of the cancers in the US. This cancer can go undiagnosed for a long time due to difficulty in detection and diagnosis.^[9]

Whipple's disease, another rare disease on the list, is a bacterial infection that is often mistaken for other diseases, requiring a biopsy of the stomach or duodenum looking for the bacteria Tropheryma whipplei.^[10]

Ehlers–Danlos syndromes

The zebra ribbon is also used for awareness of Ehlers–Danlos syndromes, a group of genetic connective tissue illnesses.^[11]

See also

• List of awareness ribbons

Notes and References

1. Web site: Dochitect . 2016-04-13 . Hearing hoofbeats: time to think zebras? Dochitect Medicine and Architecture Integrated. Healthcare Innovated. . 2022-07-14 . Dochitect . en-US.
2. Web site: 2019-01-16. NORD Issues New Rare Disease DayⓇ Rallying Cry: Show Your Stripes™!. 2020-06-07. NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders). en-US.
3. Web site: 28 February 2008. February 29th Is The First Rare Disease Day. 14 February 2009. Medical News Today.
4. Web site: Parisse-Brassens. Jerome. December 2007. 29 February 2008: First European Rare Disease Day. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20080929035636/http://www.eurordis.org/article.php3?id_article=1593. September 29, 2008. 14 February 2009. European Organisation for Rare Diseases.
5. Web site: History of Rare Disease Day. 30 January 2024 . National Organization for Rare Disorders.
6. Web site: Parisse-Brassens. Jerome. December 2007. 29 February 2008: First European Rare Disease Day. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090523053347/http://www.eurordis.org/article.php3?id_article=1593. May 23, 2009. 14 February 2009. European Organisation for Rare Diseases.
7. Web site: 2019-02-05 . Le ruban zébré, symbole des maladies rares . 2022-07-14 . La Force dmd . fr-FR.
8. Web site: admin . List of Rare Disease Information . 2022-07-14 . NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders) . en-US.
9. Web site: Understanding the Zebras of the Cancer World . 2022-07-14 . Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center . 10 November 2020 . en.
10. Klochan . Christen . Anderson . Teresa A. . Rose . Dusten . Dimitrov . Rosen K. . Johnson . Raymond M. . 10 October 2013 . Nearly Fatal Case of Whipple's Disease in a Patient Mistakenly on Anti-TNF Therapy . ACG Case Reports Journal . 1 . 1 . 25–28 . 10.14309/crj.2013.11 . 2326-3253 . 4435267 . 26157813.
11. Web site: EDS-F. Bitterlin. 2017-06-13. Zebra Ribbon. 2020-06-07. EDS-Foundation Netherlands. nl.