Advocating for Californians Impacted by PANS/PANDAS



World PANS/PANDAS Awareness Day

CalCoalition is honored to join the 2025 #LightUp4PANS Global Partnership!
On October 9, 2025, World PANS/PANDAS Awareness Day, iconic landmarks around the globe will glow green to shine a beacon of hope, healing, and strength for children, youth, and families impacted by PANS and PANDAS.
Green is more than a color — it’s a symbol of compassion, solidarity, and the urgent call for awareness and improved access to care for those navigating this challenging journey.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Inflamed Brain Alliance, the inspiring lead organizer bringing together 13 incredible advocacy groups in this united mission for understanding and change.
Mark your calendars and stay tuned! Starting July 9, 2025, and every 9th of the month thereafter, we’ll share exciting updates on new landmark approvals, lighting the way for greater awareness and support.
Together, let’s light up the world for PANS & PANDAS!
Check out our Global Partners on Instagram.
🇮🇹 @pandas_pans_
🇺🇸 @aspirepans
🇺🇸 @cal.coalition
🇨🇦 @inflamedbrainalliance
🇺🇸 @healonearthchild
🇺🇸 @look.foundation
🇺🇸 @nwppn_
🇮🇹 @pandas_italia
🇺🇸 @pandasnetworkofficial
🇵🇪 @panspandasperu
🇵🇱 @pandas_pans_polska
🇬🇧 @pans_pandas_uk
🇺🇸 @the_alex_manfull_fund
🇺🇸 @va4pa

23 confirmed landmarks. Stay tuned for the next update on August 29.
Since launching the 2025 #LightUp4PANS campaign on June 30, 23 landmarks have already confirmed for the Oct 9 World PANS PANDAS Awareness Day!
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Contact Us
500 Terry Francois St.
San Francisco, CA 94158
Mail: info@mysite.com
Tel: 123-456-7890
Fax: 123-456-7890
​USA
Ames, Iowa
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U.S. Highway 30 Light Towers
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Durham Bandshell
Long beach, CA
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Lions Lighthouse
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Long Beach City Hall
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Long Beach Civic Center
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Rainbow Harbor Bridge
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Long Beach Airport
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Terrace Theater & Plaza​
​Canada​
Belleville, Ontario
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BELLEVILLE Sign
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Bridge Street Bridge
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Fire Station Monument
Burnaby, British Columbia
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Burnaby City Hall & BC Parkway
Coquitlam, British Columbia
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City of Nanaimo’s The Bastion
Edmonton, Alberta
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High Level Bridge
Fort McMurray, Alberta
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Saline Creek Pedestrian Bridge
Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Novia Scotia Legislature
Nanaimo, British Columbia
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City of Nanaimo's The Bastion
Port Coquitlam, British Columbia
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Port Coquitlam City Hall
Red Deer, Alberta
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Red Deer City Hall
Vancouver, British Columbia
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Canada Place Sails of Light​​​​​​

United States
Canada
Next Update: August 29
What Are PANS/PANDAS?
PANS/PANDAS are devastating inflammatory brain disorders that cause sudden, extreme behavioral and physical changes in children and young adults. Often triggered by a common infection like strep throat, the body’s immune response goes terribly wrong, antibodies meant to fight infection attack the brain instead, causing severe neurological and physical damage. These children don’t just struggle with debilitating OCD or eating restrictions—they suffer from intense anxiety, uncontrollable rage, deep depression, insomnia, sudden loss of skills, tics, and dramatic declines in school performance. Alongside these heartbreaking symptoms, they endure excruciating physical pain: joint swelling and pain, muscle weakness, difficulty walking or coordinating movements, relentless fatigue, disrupted sleep, and frequent urination. The rapid onset of these symptoms can turn a child’s life, and their family’s, upside down in an instant. These kids need urgent, specialized medical care to stop the progression and begin healing. Yet too often, they are misdiagnosed or dismissed as having behavioral problems or poor parenting. This delays critical treatment, prolongs unimaginable suffering, and can lead to chronic, even life-threatening conditions. Families face an uphill battle, not only fighting the illness but also navigating a medical system that frequently lacks awareness or expertise in PANS/PANDAS. We cannot wait. These children deserve timely, expert care and compassionate understanding now.

Legislation is urgently needed because thousands of children and young adults with PANS/PANDAS are being denied the life-saving treatments they desperately need, all because insurance companies refuse to cover them. Without clear laws, families face costly, exhausting battles just to access basic medical care, leaving many to suffer in silence. Misdiagnosis is widespread, causing devastating delays that worsen symptoms and can turn a treatable condition into a lifelong crisis. This injustice not only tears families apart but also overwhelms our healthcare and mental health systems. While this is a global issue affecting countless families around the world, passing legislation in every state is a crucial step toward ensuring that every child and young adult—no matter their ZIP code—has access to timely, evidence-based care. Just as important are state-level advisory councils, which bring together medical experts, caregivers, educators, and advocates to guide implementation, raise awareness, and ensure policies truly serve affected families. This is a matter of justice, compassion, and urgent action. Lives depend on it.
Why We Need PANS/PANDAS Legislation...


What We Aim To Do...
On September 28, 2024, California became the 12th state to enact health equity legislation for PANS/PANDAS joining a growing movement to improve access to care for children and young adults affected by these serious neuroimmune conditions. Today, 15 states have passed laws requiring health insurance companies to cover treatment costs for PANS/PANDAS, including: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Virginia, Despite this progress, we still face significant challenges before every state ensures insurance coverage for these conditions. Our renewed mission is twofold: to establish a California Public Health Advisory Committee and to support the 35 remaining states that have yet to pass PANS/PANDAS insurance legislation.
Click here to discover which states have already implemented PANS/PANDAS health insurance laws!

How You Can Help...
Let your State Representative or State Senator know about the urgent need to support PANS/PANDAS legislation Nationawide.
(See templates here to phone or write your state representatives!)
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Help us understand how PANS has impacted YOUR family so we can better represent YOU! (Complete our 5 minute survey and/or send us your family’s story here so we may share it with legislators)
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Fill out our contact form so we may keep you updated on new information.
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Teachers and school nurses- WE NEED YOU to tell us how PANS has impacted you and/or your students. You can send us your Impact Statement here.
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Click here to see the many ways you can help!
HOW HAS PANS/PANDAS AFFECTED YOUR LIFE?
We asked members of the PANS community—parents, children, survivors, and grandparents, one simple question: “What do you wish people truly understood about PANS/PANDAS?”
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Their answers revealed the raw, unfiltered reality: The Hard and Honest Truth About PANS/PANDAS.
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We invite you to WATCH, SHARE, and most importantly, LEARN about the challenges these families face every day. Understanding is the first step toward change.
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