hae day :-) is around the corner!

Introducing a new human resource for Member Organizations to call on

16 May is hae day :-), our annual celebration of the HAE community and a key focus for awareness-raising efforts. Our activity challenge continues to record the steps you generate—solo or as part of a team—through your time spent on physical and wellbeing activities. As you prepare for hae day :-) 2026, our haeday.org website has lots of practical information to help you plan your media engagement, community involvement, or social media, as well as lots of inspiration for activities carried out in previous years by our Member Organizations (MOs).

Ahead of hae day :-) 2026, we’re delighted to announce that, starting now, our MOs can call on a new human resource – Natasha Jovanovska Popovska – as they plan their activities. Natasha is HAEi’s newly appointed Coordinator, Program Implementation and Engagement, and hae day :-) is one of HAEi’s programs in her remit.

Global Perspectives caught up with Natasha to find out more about her new role and how she can help MOs with their hae day :-) activity planning.

GP: Can you tell us a little about your new role?

My role is Coordinator, Program Implementation and Engagement, which means I will act as a liaison and resource for our 100+ member countries for various HAEi programs. One of those is hae day :-), and I’m excited to be in this position to help unite our global HAE community around 16 May.

Specific to hae day :-), I’m here to assist our MOs in planning, implementing, and promoting their hae day :-) activities to help ensure their efforts have maximum impact.

GP: What are you looking forward to most in your role?

I’m most looking forward to working closely with our MOs around the world and seeing the amazing creativity and passion they bring to their advocacy each day. I also hope that through additional support for their advocacy efforts, MO leaders feel empowered and recognize that their initiatives play an essential role in strengthening the HAE patient voice, visibility, and influence within their national healthcare landscapes.

Year on year for hae day :-), our MOs find new and innovative ways to raise awareness. My role further strengthens HAEi’s ability to help bring people together and facilitate a global exchange of ideas, which is incredibly inspiring.

Knowing that our collective efforts on hae day :-) can ultimately lead to a better quality of life for people with HAE is what truly motivates me. I’m excited to connect with others, share in their enthusiasm, and make a real difference by spreading awareness globally.

GP: How can you help MOs with their hae day :-) activities?

I anticipate helping MOs in several ways:

• Guidance and ideas: I can support MOs in planning and implementing their hae day :-) activities — whether large or small — by helping them brainstorm ideas, tailor approaches to their country’s needs, and make full use of the resources HAEi provides, such as media templates, awareness materials, and social media graphics.
• Amplifying MO activities: I will also encourage MOs to continue to share their event details, photos, and stories so we can highlight them on haeday.org.
• Personal support: I’ll be a personal point of contact for any questions or issues. No matter how big or small the question, an MO can contact me, and I’ll do my best to help solve the problem.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” and my goal is to help MOs take that first step. I’m here to remove barriers, offer practical guidance, and amplify the celebration of everyone’s efforts.

GP: How can MOs contact you if they have a question about their hae day :-) activity?
MOs can contact me in a few ways. They can email me directly at n.jovanovska@haei.org, or they can go through their Regional Advocacy team member, who will loop me in as needed.

Or, we have a new contact form on our hae day :-) website.

Whether it’s a quick question or more detailed guidance, please don’t hesitate to get in touch — I’m here to help make your hae day :-) activities as successful as possible.