Feeding Tube Awareness Week falls during the first full week of February and is designed to educate the general public about feeding tubes. There are literally hundreds of conditions that might require a person to receive a feeding tube to receive the nutritional support they need to survive.

It’s also a week designed to dispel some of the myths about feeding tubes that the general public may still believe. Myths such as the belief that feeding tubes can only be used in a hospital setting, or that people receiving nutritional support from a feeding tube can’t live normal, productive lives.

The History of Feeding Tube Awareness Week

This holiday was created in 2011 by an organization called Feeding Tube Awareness to raise awareness about feeding tubes and dispel myths surrounding them. Why was it important for them to raise awareness about feeding tubes? Because awareness breeds understanding and ultimately support.

It would allow parents to feed their children in public without worrying about misinformed comments from those around them. There are hundreds of thousands of people who are tube-fed in the United States, and it’s important for the stigma surrounding this method of providing nutrition to be eliminated.

Observing Feeding Tube Awareness Week

Many different organizations hold events in support of this holiday week. Many of these events include seminars, exhibitions, and other activities designed to raise awareness about feeding tubes and the circumstances under which they may be needed. There are also several organizations that raise money for feeding tube research.

Of course, people don’t need to attend special events to observe this holiday. They can promote an event through their social media platforms using the hashtag #FeedingTubeAwarenessWeek, or simply tell their friends in person about such events. People can also host their own events to raise money for research or to spread awareness about feeding tubes.