What is it?
The Big WOW (Walk On Wilson’s) was launched in 2015 by the Wilson Disease Association (WDA). The aim of the annual initiative was to provide advocates with a template to organise a local walk in their city to raise funds for people with Wilson’s disease and, in doing so, increase awareness of the condition by telling their stories. The walk was instigated by a family with Wilson’s disease and brought to life by the WDA, which recruited participants through its membership and via social media.
In its first year, the Big WOW took place in 16 cities in the United States and Canada, and raised an incredible $67,000. The following year, the walk expanded to more cities, raising almost $67,000. By 2017, the Big WOW had expanded to Asia, with a walk taking place in Nanjing, China.
All of the money raised through the initiative went to fund the Patient Registry Research Project, which collects data to support improved decision-making around diagnosis and treatment.
The successful campaign eventually ran its course, and was terminated during the pandemic.
What can we learn from this case study?
The Big WOW is a great example of a well-coordinated and powerful awareness-raising and fundraising effort. By providing advocates with the tools to deliver the campaign in their city, the WDA successfully empowered patients to tell their stories, increase awareness of Wilson’s disease and raise thousands of dollars in the process.
As of December 2023, there were over 200 patients from the United States and Europe enrolled in the Patient Registry Research Project, which is funded in part by the Big WOW.
Similar initiatives could be replicated in other countries, raising the international profile of Wilson’s disease and its impact.
