ND Fighting NTDs was founded in the fall of 2009 by six Notre Dame freshmen inspired by their Common Human Diseases professor, Fr. Tom Streit, of the Notre Dame Haiti Program (focused on eliminating lymphatic filariasis in Haiti). The club is committed to raising awareness and funds to combat NTDs by encouraging students to think connect their studies to global health issues, view NTD eradication as an essential social justice issue, and be creative in their approach to advocacy – because the best way to “turn compassion into action” is to connect with people on a personal basis.

The club has made significant strides in raising awareness of NTDs at Notre Dame and beyond in just two short years, raising over $5,000 for the Global Network and the Notre Dame Haiti Program, hosting dozens of educational and advocacy-focused events, and encouraging club members to bring the message about NTDs home to their high school alma maters, church parishes, local service organizations, and more. The club has exploded to include hundreds of students across every major and course of study, including graduate students in ND’s brand-new Masters of Global Health program. This year, the second annual NTD Awareness Week at Notre Dame included a bagel and brochure giveaway, an interdisciplinary faculty panel on diseases of poverty, a fundraiser at student favorite Five Guys, a “Childhood Throwback” Dirt Cup Dessert sale, a face-painting and petition-signing event at a football pep rally, a collection at Dorm Masses across campus, and a Rosary for Global Health. This video gives an overview of the club’s accomplishments this fall.

Please visit our club website , join our , and follow us on Twitter () for more information on our activities, mission, and future plans! We’re excited to begin 2012 off strong with a video spot at the Michigan-Notre Dame hockey game, a “Fat Tuesday” Dirt Cup Sale, a collaborative event with TOMS shoes, and much more!