June is National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month (MHAM), a time when the entire migraine community joins together to raise awareness, increase understanding and fight stigma. We’re kicking off this year’s MHAM with a new initiative: GETHEADUCATED™. Learn how you can get involved.

This Migraine and Headache Awareness Month (MHAM), we’re inviting everyone to GETHEADUCATED™. We stand alongside our partners in advocacy by promoting this year’s national MHAM theme: Educate Yourself, Educate Others. 

Whether you are new to learning about migraine or have been advocating for access to treatment for decades, we encourage you to take a moment this month to learn something new and share your knowledge with others. We know that change happens when we mobilize not just those living with migraine but also all the people surrounding the migraine community. It will take all of us to create a migraine-friendly world.

Why Your Voice Matters for Migraine Advocacy 

Migraine is an “invisible disease.” For this reason, many in the migraine community face a lack of understanding, increased stigma and barriers to accessing appropriate care and treatment. Share these facts with your network this month to shed light on this disabling disease:

  • Migraine affects 1 in 4 households in the U.S. and more than 1 billion people globally.
  • Up to 90% of people report that migraine interferes with practically every aspect of their daily life—including their education, career, social activities and more.
  • Fewer than 50% of people with the disease consult a physician for diagnosis and treatment. 
  • Only 6.3% of physicians are knowledgeable about migraine prevention guidelines according to findings from a 2021 study on gaps in knowledge among primary care providers.
  •  93% of clinicians in the United States have experienced delays in prescribing treatment due to prior authorization. Prior authorization is a management process used by insurance companies to determine if a prescribed product or service will be covered. Additionally, most clinicians (82%) have seen these policies cause patients to abandon treatment. 

We believe it will take an all-hands-on-deck approach to migraine advocacy for us to see real change. By adding your voice, you help reduce stigma and increase understanding, increase funding and research, and pave the way for better access to treatment.

GETHEADUCATED™ to Drive Change

Education has the power to drive change by increasing awareness and understanding of migraine. 

Here are some ways you can get involved this month:

  • Share resources with your family and friends to help them GETHEADUCATED™ about migraine. Our Migraine 101 page is a great starting point.
  • Start a fundraiser in your community. Personal fundraising can help fill gaps in funding for migraine research. Consider celebrating a June birthday, organizing a run/walk or launching a Facebook fundraiser. See our Ways to Fundraise page for more ideas.
  • Schedule an appointment to talk with your doctor about migraine. Prepare for the appointment by equipping yourself with helpful tips and information from this patient guide.
  • Talk to your employer and your co-workers about migraine. We offer tools and resources to help you bring migraine education to your workplace. Learn more here.
  • Speak out against prior authorization practices by contacting your state and national representatives or by connecting with a patient advocacy group. Find more ways to advocate around this issue here.

Join “The Hub”

We will also be launching our new Migraine Advocacy Hub this month. The Migraine Advocacy Hub is a centralized location for advocacy resources and opportunities to connect with others to mobilize against migraine in your community. Join the Hub to receive advocacy alerts in your inbox every month and stay updated on the latest opportunities to get involved. 

Please also mark your calendar for the Migraine State of the Union on June 27, 2023. This virtual event  brings together American Migraine Foundation leadership and migraine advocates to celebrate recent achievements and explore what the future holds for the Foundation and the migraine community.

Migraine and Headache Awareness Month is our month—a critical time for the migraine community to join together, raise awareness and advocate for the needs of all people living with migraine. 

The American Migraine Foundation is committed to improving the lives of those living with this debilitating disease. To learn more about all of your migraine treatment options, visit the Resource Library. For help finding a healthcare provider, check out our Find a Doctor tool. Together, we are as relentless as migraine.