Rare Disease Day

Raising Rare Disease Awareness

Raising Rare Disease Awareness

What Works Beyond One Day

Rare Disease Day lands at the end of February, but the awareness work it represents cannot be confined to one day. The most effective healthcare awareness efforts build momentum before the moment, and they keep it going long after the calendar flips.

For millions of patients and families, rare disease is not a headline. It’s a daily reality, often marked by long diagnostic journeys, limited public understanding, and constant advocacy just to be heard.

That’s why Rare Disease Day truly matters. It creates space for stories that deserve attention, and it gives healthcare brands, agencies, and patient organizations a timely opportunity to show up with purpose.

Why Rare Disease Day matters for healthcare awareness

Rare diseases can be rare by definition, but collectively they affect a meaningful portion of the population. What tends to be missing is not need… it’s visibility.

Rare Disease Day brings attention to three things many campaigns are trying to solve for:

Awareness that reaches beyond the patient community

Rare disease communities are already informed. The bigger challenge is reaching people who have never encountered the condition and may not recognize symptoms when they appear.

Conversation that supports earlier action

More awareness can lead to earlier questions, better self advocacy, and quicker paths to the right specialist. In rare disease, that timing matters.

Why authentic voices are the difference maker

Rare disease messaging needs to do more than inform. It has to connect. That is where authentic voices come in.

Patients and caregivers create instant relevance

When someone shares what it feels like to live with a rare condition, it shifts the tone from clinical to human. It makes the topic real and it builds empathy quickly.

Clinicians add clarity

Rare diseases can be complex. A trusted medical voice can help explain symptoms, testing, and treatment pathways in a way that helps support understanding without overwhelming the audience.

Celebrity involvement can break through when it is real

Celebrity healthcare campaigns are most effective when the connection is personal or genuinely mission aligned. A well matched spokesperson can help a rare disease story reach broader audiences, earn earned media attention, and reduce stigma simply by making the topic easier to talk about.

In rare disease, the goal is not noise, it’s credibility at scale.

What influencer marketing in healthcare can do well in rare disease

Influencer marketing healthcare efforts can be powerful in rare disease because community is already a major driver of awareness. Patients and caregivers often rely on peer networks for support, education, and validation.

The key is choosing voices that feel grounded and responsible.

Trusted creators can meet people where they already are

Many rare disease conversations happen online. Thoughtful creators can help translate information, share practical resources, and point people toward credible support.

Community trust matters more than follower count

In healthcare, engagement quality matters. People respond to voices that show consistency, empathy, and accuracy.

The best content feels like support, not promotion

When rare disease content is handled with care, it can feel like a hand reaching out, not a headline trying to grab attention.

The need to extend the impact beyond February

Rare Disease Day is a strong catalyst, but the most meaningful campaigns don’t end when the month ends. Here are a few ways teams build lasting momentum.

Continue the story in chapters

One post or one video rarely does the work. Ongoing storytelling keeps the condition visible and helps new audiences catch up over time.

Build around key moments throughout the year

Awareness months, conference milestones, advocacy events, and community gatherings can create natural points for continued engagement.

Keep the message practical

People engage when they know what to do next. Educational resources, symptom checklists, and patient support links can help turn awareness into action.

Treat the spokesperson relationship as long term

If a celebrity partner, patient advocate, or creator is truly aligned, consider building continuity. A steady voice builds trust, and trust is what rare disease awareness needs most.

Beyond the Moment

Rare Disease Day is not just about awareness, it’s about recognition. It’s about helping patients feel seen and helping the public understand that rare does not mean insignificant.

When the voice is real and the storytelling is thoughtful, healthcare awareness campaigns can do more than raise visibility, they can change the conversation.

If you’re planning a rare disease initiative and exploring the right voice to bring it to life, we’d love to help.

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2026 Winter Olympics

Health on the World Stage

Health on the World Stage

What the 2026 Winter Olympics Teach Us About Celebrity Influence in Awareness Campaigns

Every Winter Olympics pulls the world into the same conversation. The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games are happening right now, and the attention is global. During moments like this, audiences are tuned in, storylines move fast, and the right voices can cut through in a way that feels natural and timely.

For healthcare brands and agencies, it’s a reminder of something we see again and again in celebrity healthcare campaigns: influence works best when it’s anchored in credibility, not just visibility.

Below are a few takeaways from the Olympics lens that apply directly to healthcare storytelling, celebrity endorsement in healthcare, and influencer marketing in healthcare.

Big cultural moments create a unique kind of attention

The Olympics is not just sport. It’s emotion, identity, and aspiration.

The Olympics compresses thousands of human stories into a few weeks. Comebacks, pressure, discipline, and resilience are all on display. That’s why it creates such a powerful platform for messages that are rooted in real life.

Sponsors and brands are finding new ways to show up

Traditionally, the Olympics has been known for limited on-field advertising. This year, sponsors are becoming more visible through placements and branded elements inside venues and broadcast environments. That shift matters because it reflects how audiences experience messaging during major cultural moments. It’s not always a commercial break anymore. It can be integrated into the environment people are already watching.

If you’re building a health awareness initiative, the format matters, but the message matters more.

Olympic athletes often have the kind of credibility health campaigns need

They live the discipline people aspire to

Athletes represent training, recovery, setback, and perseverance. In a healthcare context, those themes translate naturally to prevention, adherence, resilience, and behavior change.

Many athletes are also advocates

Olympic coverage increasingly includes stories about mental wellness, injury recovery, and the pressures of performance. The broader trend is clear, athletes are speaking more openly about what it takes to compete at the highest level, both physically and mentally.

For healthcare messaging, that openness is a reminder that people respond to the human story behind the headline.

The best influence isn’t loud. It’s believable.

Celebrity endorsement in healthcare works when the “why” is clear

Audiences can tell who is showing up for the right reasons. The same is true in healthcare. If a partnership feels like a surface-level endorsement, people tune out. If it feels connected to lived experience or a sincere point of view, people listen.

Influencer marketing in healthcare is shifting toward trust-based voices

The creator economy is still part of the mix, but healthcare is different. People don’t just want content. They want clarity, credibility, and a voice they believe. Olympic moments remind us that influence is earned when the messenger aligns with the message and the audience.

What this means for brands, agencies, and event teams

Think beyond the PSA

The Olympics shows how quickly a short clip, a live moment, or a real interview can travel. Health campaigns can borrow that mindset by focusing on formats that invite conversation and feel natural to the audience.

Match the voice to the moment

If your campaign is tied to a season, an awareness moment, or a cultural event, timing matters. The right spokesperson can elevate the message. The wrong spokesperson can distract from it.

Don’t overlook the live stage

For internal meetings and leadership events, the Olympics also reinforces the power of presence. Sometimes you don’t need a viral moment. You need a memorable one. If you’re looking to book a celebrity speaker for a sales kickoff, annual meeting, or leadership summit, the same rule applies: the best speakers aren’t just famous, they’re relevant to your audience and your purpose.

A final takeaway

The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are a reminder that culture moves through stories.

That’s the heart of celebrity healthcare campaigns done well. Not bigger, not louder, just more believable.

Want to build something that lands?

If you’re exploring a health awareness campaign, a spokesperson partnership, or you want to book a celebrity speaker for an upcoming event, we can help you find the right voice and support the relationship from start to finish.

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Why Work With Amy Doner Group?

Why Work With Amy Doner Group?

Celebrity partnerships that actually make sense for your message, your moment, and your mission.

If you’ve ever Googled “book celebrity speaker,” you’ve probably come across a long list of websites offering quick access to big names. And sure, that might work for some events. But when you’re dealing with important healthcare topics or high-stakes campaigns, a transactional approach doesn’t cut it.

That’s where we come in.

At Amy Doner Group (ADG), we’re not just here to help you secure talent. We’re here to help you make the right match, shape the story, and see it through all the way. We partner with you to make sure everything feels strategic, thoughtful, and effortless.

It Starts With the Right Fit

This part matters more than anything. When a celebrity is aligned with your cause and feels personally connected to your message, the result is something people remember.

We work closely with you to understand your goals, your audience, and the nuance behind your campaign or event. That way, the talent we bring to the table doesn’t just check a box, they help carry the message in a way that truly resonates.

We Don’t Disappear After the Deal Is Done

Plenty of companies can help you book someone. What sets us apart is what happens after.

We’re with you from the early brainstorms to the final thank-you notes. That includes everything from vetting talent and shaping strategy, to managing logistics and navigating tricky details. We coordinate with agents, prepare the celebrity, and help ensure everything goes off without a hitch, on site or online.

You’re not just hiring a speaker. You’re gaining a partner who makes the whole process smoother.

Teams Trust Us for a Reason

We’ve spent decades working alongside top pharmaceutical companies, PR firms, and communications teams. They rely on us to bring in the right voice and to make sure it lands.


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Amy has been a highly valued and trusted partner for decades, helping identify the right celebrity, optimizing the engagement strategy and helping manage range of relationships needed to ensure everything goes smoothly from start to finish. She is so knowledgeable and well-respected in the industry, with long-standing close relationships with talent agents and others in the sphere of influence around the full spectrum of celebrities.

Bottom line—she always delivers, is a pleasure to work with and I feel honored to have partnered with her on really meaningful disease education campaigns featuring incredible celebrities.

Christie Anbar, Ruder Finn

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Amy is a well-respected business partner who elevates the teams she works with to meet their necessary goals and objectives. Most importantly, she is a tremendous advocate for patient awareness with diseases that are often misunderstood and under-diagnosed.

Thomas Stern, Vice President & General Manager, Ora Pharma

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I've had the pleasure of partnering with Amy and her team for numerous celebrity engagements, and their expertise is unmatched. The Amy Doner Group goes beyond simply connecting clients with high-profile figures; they become a trusted extension of your team, ensuring seamless execution at every stage.

Amy’s dedication and meticulous attention to detail make all the difference. I couldn’t imagine undertaking a celebrity initiative without her exceptional support and insight.

Michael Moye, President and General Manager, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals

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Amy Doner is a skilled matchmaker in the world of talent deals. Her expertise in the pharmaceutical industry was apparent to me from the early stages of our work together. Amy brought my client into a fantastic and mutually beneficial pharma endorsement relationship.

Amy is prompt, professional, knowledgeable and lots of fun to work with. Amy is the executive you can wrestle on deal terms and then thoroughly enjoy shoot time together. Her attention to detail and ensuring an organic fit amongst brands is part of what makes her so successful in a fickle business. Amy is a real connector, and I can't wait for our next pharma deal together.

Sue Dorf, Senior Sports Agent & Marketing Consultant

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I’ve had the pleasure of working with Amy Doner in connection with multiple financially significant celebrity spokesperson campaigns on behalf of a variety of medical conditions, disease states and supplements, and I can confirm that her pharmaceutical industry knowledge, communication skills, negotiation acumen and overall work ethic are among the very best in the field of talent brokerage and procurement.

Strand Conover, Partner, WME

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Amy excels in every aspect of her role, from identification and negotiation to celebrity liaison. Her extensive knowledge and experience in the pharmaceutical industry truly distinguish her from other talent agencies. She is uniquely qualified to ask the right questions and prepare spokespeople for the intricate nuances often associated with discussing complex medical conditions and treatments.

Throughout every campaign, Amy consistently demonstrates her strategic prowess, making her an indispensable asset at every turn.

Alyssa Cosentino, Coyne PR

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There is no one better to partner with on a celebrity campaign than Amy Doner.

She is the absolute expert on all thing’s celebrity! From helping to find the perfect celebrity to engage with, to negotiating the deal – there is no one smarter, faster and more professional than Amy. She makes what can be a very intense, stressful experience fun.

Amy literally doesn’t miss a beat. Her process is seamless and her ability to ensure that both her clients and the celebrity are well informed and protected are bar none. Amy is the only person I’d work with to secure a celebrity for campaign related projects.

Robin Cronin, FINN Partners

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Amy has been my trusted talent acquisition partner for nearly 20 years. Whenever I’m considering a celebrity spokesperson or need creative brainstorming, she’s my first call. Her team excels at uncovering standout talent—often those who’ve flown under the radar—and matching them perfectly with campaign goals.

What truly sets Amy apart is her support from the beginning to the end of a celebrity engagement. From identification, negotiating, contract development and finalization to guiding every step of the process—even offering support throughout the entirety of the contract. Her expertise is unmatched, and her collaborative spirit makes working with her a genuine pleasure.

Bob Josefsberg, Deerfield Group

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It’s Personal to Us

Every project we take on gets the same care and attention we’d want if it were our own brand on the line. We know these aren’t just campaigns. They’re meaningful stories, important moments, and messages that deserve to be told well.

So if you’re looking for a celebrity partner who brings more than just a familiar face—someone who shows up prepared, aligned, and ready to make an impact—we’d love to help.

Let's Talk

Going Beyond the PSA: Creative Ways Celebrities Are Powering Health Awareness

Going Beyond the PSA

Creative Ways Celebrities Are Powering Health Awareness

When people think about celebrities in health campaigns, they usually picture a 30-second PSA. A quick message, a few key talking points, and done.

But that’s just one piece of the puzzle. Today’s most powerful campaigns go beyond the surface. They’re more personal and more authentic.

Whether it’s a candid podcast conversation, a raw Instagram story, or a heartfelt fireside chat at a health summit, celebrities are stepping into these roles in new and meaningful ways.

It’s Not About the Script

Audiences know when something feels overly rehearsed. A polished soundbite might look good on paper, but it doesn’t always connect.

What does? Real experience. When talent shares why a cause matters to them, it lands differently. That kind of honesty draws people in and sparks action in a way no script ever could.

Real Conversations > Rehearsals

We’ve seen this play out in all kinds of formats. A short-form doc that shares a journey. A panel discussion where tough questions get real answers. A closed-door event where talent isn’t “on”—they’re just being themselves.

These spaces allow for nuance. They invite people in. And most importantly, they create space for empathy, not just awareness.

Intimate Moments, Big Results

Not every campaign needs a stage or spotlight. In fact, some of the most impactful moments we’ve seen have happened in small rooms: policy roundtables, advisory boards, or dinner conversations with advocacy groups.

In those moments, celebrities aren’t just spokespeople. They’re allies, partners, and sometimes even catalysts for bigger change.

When It’s More Than a Campaign

The truth is, when a cause hits home, most celebrities want to do more. We’ve worked with celebrities who have gone on to speak with lawmakers, connect with clinicians, and stay involved long after the campaign wrap.

That kind of commitment creates a ripple effect. It builds credibility, and it often opens doors that traditional efforts can’t.

Social Media That Builds, Not Just Blasts

A single post can drive awareness, but a narrative builds momentum.

The strongest campaigns give talent room to tell a story over time. Maybe it’s a journey. Maybe it’s a shared experience. Maybe it’s a mix of humor, heart, and facts. Either way, it’s not just about visibility—it’s about consistency and trust.

The Right Fit Still Comes First

You can be creative, bold, and original, but none of it works if the partnership feels off. That’s why alignment matters.

The right match between celebrity, message, and audience is still the foundation. If it feels forced, people tune out. But when it feels real? That’s when things click.


Want to Create Something That Lasts?

The best healthcare campaigns don’t just inform, they create a connection. If you’re looking for the right voice to bring your message to life, we’re here to help. At Amy Doner Group, we don’t just find talent. We build partnerships that stick and stories that stay with people.

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