Frequently asked questions

World Acupuncture Awareness Day 2026 takes place on 16 November 2026. World Acupuncture Awareness Day is an initiative of the European Traditional Chinese Medicine Association (ETCMA). Acupuncturists and student acupuncturists are invited to share the patient experience that inspired them to train, using #MyAcupunctureStory and #WAAD2026.

Your experience as a patient helps other people recognise that working with an acupuncturist could be relevant to them. The relationship with your acupuncturist is at the heart of that experience, and your voice can inspire and inform people in a way that information about acupuncture can’t.

Acupuncturists and student acupuncturists anywhere in the world, aged 18 or over, whose own experience as a patient inspired them to train.

Everyone who submits must read and accept the terms and conditions.

Tell your own story, honestly and in your own words. The story guide sets out the five questions to reflect on and what we mean by each.

Please don’t include hate speech, other people’s personal details or anything inappropriate.

Video, audio or written, in any language. You can add photos too. There is no length limit, though the campaign may edit submissions as described in the terms and conditions.

Use a free transfer service such as SwissTransfer, Smash or MailBigFile. None of them need an account. Add your file, choose to send it by email and enter [email protected] as the recipient, with your name and country in the message. We’ll reply with a short form to confirm your details.

By sending us your story, you agree to its use as described in our terms and conditions. You can withdraw your consent at any time, but we can’t remove copies that others have already shared online.

Google requires a sign-in for any form that accepts file uploads. If you use Gmail or YouTube you already have a Google account. Your Google name and email are recorded with your story but never published. If you’d rather not sign in, use a transfer service instead (see above).

No. A phone is enough. No professional equipment, media experience or presentation skills are needed.

Yes. You can submit more than one, in different formats.

Yes, for a fellow acupuncturist or student acupuncturist who has agreed to the terms and conditions. Always use your own email address so the submission is processed correctly.

If you have any difficulty, contact [email protected].

Yes. We need an email address to process your story, but it is never made public. Anonymous means we won’t use your name. If you’d rather not be recognised, a written story works beautifully.

• Your full name is only published if you give permission.
• You can choose to share your social media or LinkedIn name instead.
• Your email address is never made public.

• Every story is reviewed before publication.
• It may be edited, shortened or adapted for different formats.
• Its essence and meaning are always kept.
• ETCMA may decide not to publish a story without having to give a reason.

Yes. You can withdraw your consent at any time by emailing [email protected]. We will remove your story from our channels. Content already shared by third parties or already printed may not be recoverable.