Every year, on March 24, people across the world generate awareness about the bacterial disease called Tuberculosis. Although a cure for this disease was discovered in 1882, close to 1.5 million people lost their lives to TB in 2011. Mainly in underdeveloped countries, the disease remains a huge issue, especially when proper testing and medications continue to be out of reach. In the movement to eliminate this curable illness, success starts with awareness.

A good way to really grasp the overall goal of the groups and organizations promoting Tuberculosis awareness can be summed up within the 2012 slogan for World Tuberculosis Day: Stop TB in my lifetime. This year’s motto goes with the theme of calling for a world free of TB.  The slogan and theme encourage people all over the world, from the youngest to the oldest, to make an individual call for the elimination of TB, and say what changes they expect to take place in their lifetimes.

According to the world TB website, in their lifetimes, today’s children should expect to see a world where no one gets sick with TB. In their lifetimes, women and men should expect to see a world where no one dies from TB. All of us can have different hopes, such as for faster treatment; a quick, cheap, low-tech test that is accessible to all; or an effective vaccine.

We can only reach the goal of a world free of TB by working together to detect, treat, and prevent this disease. Someone may think to themselves, what can I do to work towards a life without the risks of TB? Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Find out more about TB services in your area.
• Reach out to your community and educate them about TB.
• Because many people are not aware of the impact of TB, local coalitions in many states and countries are convening educational and awareness activities related to World TB Day. Look to see how you can learn more and get involved.

Today, World TB Day is commemorated across the globe with activities as diverse as the locations in which they are held. But more can be done to raise awareness about the effects of TB; Until Tuberculosis is controlled, World TB Day won’t be a celebration. But it is a valuable opportunity to educate the public about the devastation TB can spread and how it can be stopped. To learn more, please visit http://www.stoptb.org/events/world_tb_day/