Shine A Light On NF! We work with organisations worldwide to light up landmarks and buildings blue for May 17, World NF Awareness Day.

Help us Shine A Light on World NF Awareness Day, Sunday 17 May 2026, as we highlight and campaign for access to the medical and non-medical care that is needed by those diagnosed with NF in the UK.

In collaboration with Children’s Tumor Foundation USA, the 'Shine A Light On NF' campaign aims to raise awareness by lighting up iconic landmarks, buildings and homes in blue.

NF is the medical group name for Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1), NF2-related-Schwannomatosis (NF2-SWN) and Schwannomatosis (SWN), a set of neuro-genetic conditions that cause tumours to grow on nerve endings, and which also have many associated medical conditions and complications.

As NF is still a relatively unknown condition, our attempts to raise awareness are greatly valued by the NF community - seeing buildings light up locally, nationally and internationally shows the community that they are being seen and heard.

We provide Social Media Toolkits to all willing organisations to showcase why they are lighting up, along with information and donation links, and other ways to support people with NF.

Find out how you can help our campaign here

Take a look at some of the buildings and landmarks already signed up for 2026.

Alexandra Palace Mast, London; Bascule Bridge, Renfrewshire; Bottle of Notes, North Yorkshire; Bridgewater Hall, Greater Manchester; Cardiff Castle; Carmarthen County Hall; Chichester Council House, West Sussex; County Hall, Somerset; Derbion Shopping Centre, Derbyshire; Enniskillen Castle, County Fermanagah; Epsom Downs Race Course Queen Elizabeth II Stand, Surrey; Hamilton Town House, Lanarkshire; Holywell Town Council, Flintshire; Marischal College, Aberdeenshire; Maritime Museum, East Yorkshire; Meadowhall, South Yorkshire; Mercury Theatre, Essex; New Theatre, Oxfordshire; Ness Bridge, Highlands; Newry Town Hall, County Down; Nottingham Council House; Paddington Station, London; Pershore Abbey, Worcestershire; Port of Liverpool Building, Merseyside; Queens Hotel, Gloucestershire, Quilter Head Office, Hampshire; Rochester Cathedral, Kent; St Andrew's House, Midlothian; St Ives Bridge and Chapel, Cambridgeshire; St James Church, Lincolnshire; Smeaton's Tower, Devon; Sir John Barrow Monument, Cumbria; St Andrew's House, Midlothian; Trowbridge Civic Centre, Wiltshire; Twin Sails Bridge, Dorset; Wainhouse Tower, West Yorkshire; Whittle Arch, West Midlands
 

NEW for 2026!

Albert Clock Tower, Barnstaple; Castle Point Borough Council Building, Essex; Chantry Place, Norwich; De La Warr Pavilion, East Sussex; Mercury Theatre, Essex; Paddington Station, London; Union Mill, Kent; University of Leicester (George Davies Centre); University of Liverpool School of Engineering; Wallasey Town Hall, Merseyside; Weymouth Pavilion, Dorset; Wigan Town Hall, Greater Manchester

Join us in 2026

World NF Awareness Day, 17 May, & World NF2 Awareness Day, 22 May 

Can you help?

Support our campaign by copying and pasting the following text to your social media, emailing your local MP, local press, or anyone you can think of that will support our campaign.

Shine A Light on NF: Help raise awareness of NF by lighting up landmarks and buildings blue on World NF Awareness Day - Sunday 17 May. With 26,500 people in the UK diagnosed with NF, we want all of them to receive the care and support they need to live their lives. Find out more: https://nervetumours.org.uk/get-involved/shine-a-light-on-neurofibromatosis.

We are very grateful for all support, and donations can be made on the following link. https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/shine-a-light-on-nf

Information about the condition and our services

The Neurofibromatosis Association, trading as Nerve Tumours UK, funds a unique Specialist Support Network to help the 26,500 plus children and adults, living in the UK, who are diagnosed with NF, the medical group name for Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1), NF2-related-Schwannomatosis (NF2) and Schwannomatosis (SWN), along with their carers, families, and their wider support network. For every patient we help, we estimate that we also help 8 further members of their network, so our reach stretches to supporting circa 212,000 people.

NF is one of the most common neuro-genetic conditions that causes tumours to grow on nerve endings and has many associated medical, physical and psychological conditions eg Scoliosis, 60% have learning disabilities, and up to 70% are registered disabled. People live in constant pain, are vulnerable and often isolated, and as this is a life-long genetic condition, it impacts hugely on their mental health. Parents have a 50% chance of passing this genetic condition onto their child, and once there are three generations of the family with the condition, research shows that they will fall into the lowest socio-economic group.

We provide our much needed support, advice and information for people with NF and the medical professionals involved in their care, via our Specialist Support Network, which comprises regionally based nurses, a national helpline, a fully accessible and interactive website incorporating a closed medical section, clinical guidelines, regional information days, medical guidelines and leaflets. We also support and collaborate in research with leading medics, UK universities and associated international bodies, although we are not in a position to fund the research.

We do not receive any government or local authority funding, we rely totally on donations and fundraising.