Comprehensive October 2026 Awareness Calendar
CharityAxess has compiled a comprehensive list of important October awareness months, weeks, and days for quick reference. These observances highlight key health, social, cultural, and community causes recognized across Canada and around the world.
As autumn continues, October brings together important campaigns focused on health, education, inclusion, history, family support, community wellbeing, and public awareness.
These awareness dates provide a critical toolkit for charities, nonprofits, healthcare organizations, schools, libraries, and advocacy groups to educate communities, amplify important conversations, share resources, and inspire civic action throughout the month.
October Awareness Months
- ADHD Awareness Month
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- Canada Library Month
- Children’s Vision Month
- Community Health & Wellbeing Month
- Community Support Month
- Disability Employment Awareness Month
- Dwarfism Awareness and Acceptance Month
- Foster Family Month
- Healthy Workplace Month
- Islamic History Month
- Latin American Heritage Month
- Learning Disabilities Awareness Month
- Lupus Awareness Month
- Mark it Read for Dyslexia Awareness Month
- Occupational Therapy Month
- Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
- Rett Syndrome Awareness Month
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month
- Women’s History Month
October Awareness Weeks
- October 1–7: HPV Prevention Week
- October 1–7: National Breastfeeding Week
- October 4–10: Fire Prevention Week
- October 4–10: World Space Week
- October 5–9: Canadian Malnutrition Awareness Week
- October 5–11: Mental Illness Awareness Week
- October 5–11: National Family Week
- October 11–17: Workplace Bullying Awareness Week
- October 12–18: Medical Device Reprocessing Week
- October 12–18: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Awareness Week
- October 18–24: Invisible Disability Awareness Week
- October 19–25: National School Safety Week
- October 19–25: Foster Family Appreciation Week
- October 19–25: Ontario Library Week
- October 19–25: YWCA Week Without Violence
- October 19–25: Canadian Down Syndrome Week
- October 19–25: Canadian Youth Road Safety Week
- October 19–25: Canadian Intensive Care Week
- October 26–31: International Brain Tumour Awareness Week
- October 26–31: National Block Parents Week
- October 26–31: Waste Reduction Week
- October 25–31: Respiratory Therapy Week
- October 27–31: Canadian Patient Safety Week
- October 24–30: Disarmament Week
October Awareness Days
- October 1: National Seniors Day
- October 1: International Day for Older Persons
- October 2: Wrongful Conviction Day
- October 5: World Habitat Day
- October 4: World Animal Day
- October 5: World Meningitis Day
- October 5: International World Teacher’s Day
- October 6: World Cerebral Palsy Day
- October 9: World Sight Day
- October 10: World Mental Health Day
- October 11: World Hospice and Palliative Care Day
- October 12: Canadian Thanksgiving
- October 13: International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction
- October 13: World Thrombosis Day
- October 15: International Idic15 Awareness Day
- October 15: Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day
- October 16: World Food Day
- October 16: Dress Purple Day
- October 16: World Spine Day
- October 16: Purple Thursday
- October 17: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
- October 18: Persons Day
- October 18: World Menopause Day
- October 19: National Psoriatic Arthritis Day
- October 21: Women in Nonprofit Awareness Day
- October 21: SUDEP Action Day
- October 22: International Stuttering Awareness Day
- October 23: Digital Citizen Day
- October 24: Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day
- October 24: United Nations Day and World Development Information Day
- October 24: Brain Cancer Awareness Day
- October 25: Dwarfism Awareness Day
- October 26: World Amyloidosis Day
- October 27: World Occupational Therapy Day
- October 29: World Psoriasis Day
- October 29: World Stroke Day
- October 30: BC Non-Profit Recognition Day
Explore the complete October 2026 Awareness Calendar for detailed information on each observance, or browse the Awareness and Health Promotion Days Calendar to discover awareness months, weeks, and days recognized throughout the year.
