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OA/TOF Awareness Week 2025

24th February – 2nd March

OA/TOF Awareness Week 2025

Did you know a baby is born with Oesophageal Atresia and Tracheo-Oesophageal Fistula (OA/TOF) in the UK roughly every other day? That’s around 180 babies a year, facing a condition with lifelong implications.

OA/TOF is more common than many people realise, yet awareness of its impact is often lacking. Let’s change that!

OA/TOF Awareness Week coincides with International Rare Disease Day (28th February) so please take this opportunity to get involved and raise awareness of those affected by rare conditions across the world.

What is OA/TOF?

OA/TOF stands for Oesophageal Atresia (OA) and Tracheo-Oesophageal Fistula (TOF).

OA/TOF are rare congenital conditions of the oesophagus (food pipe) and/or trachea (airway) that affects 1 in every 3,500 people.

Play Video about What is OA/TOF?

How you can help

Please get involved and help us to spread the word by:

What's new for 2025!

New resources

Keep your eyes peeled for exciting new resources being released throughout the week to help the OA/TOF community.

Win amazing prizes!

The TOFS Winter Raffle is now live!

Take a look at the fantastic prizes up for grabs:

*   Apple Watch SE PLUS a £40 Apple Voucher!
*   £100 cash
*   Wine & Cider
*   Dining out & Shopping vouchers
*   And much more!

Buy your tickets today for a chance to win some incredible prizes, all while supporting TOFS and our mission to provide lifelong support to individuals and families affected by Oesophageal Atresia and Tracheo-Oesophageal Fistula (OA/TOF).

Tickets are just £2.50 each.

Rare Disease Day​

As part of TOFS Awareness Week we will be supporting International Rare Disease Day on the 28th February.

Please help us highlight the impact of rare diseases by sharing the messages on your social media on the day and joining the global chain of lights at 7pm.

Find all the resources here.

Raise awareness

Share your OA/TOF story

Let people know what being born with OA/TOF has meant to you and your loved ones. You can share your story on social media or contact your local newspaper.

Please don’t forget to tag us in to anything you share on social and mention TOFS in any news story.

We’ve produced a short press briefing about OA/TOF that you can use when speaking to journalists.

Update your profile photo

Help us raise awareness of TOFS by changing your social media profile photo for a week. Choose one of of our designs below. 

Spread the word!

Take a look at the latest products in our shop & help raise awareness of the condition.

Share our resources

Share the book with your health professionals​

The TOF Book and Soft Food Recipe Book

With your help, it’s so easy for them to get a FREE digital copy of our books, The TOF Book and The Soft Food Book. Please ask them to complete the form here and we’ll send them a digital copy of both books, for them to download and keep.

Tell your doctor about our adult OA/TOF digital handbook​

Released only last year, our Adult OA/TOF Management digital handbook is a fantastic resource for any health professional.

Share the QR code with your doctor or ask them to join our join our digital library here.

Get involved

Write to your MP, MSP, AM/MS or MLA

Contact your representative to call for change to how OA/TOF is treated in the UK.

TOFS is calling for consistent lifelong multi-disciplinary care for people born with OA regardless of their age, or where they live in the UK.

Download our suggested letter to send to your MP to highlight our cause.

Raise funds

There are lots of ways you can fundraise for TOFS but here are just a few suggestions to get you started. See our fundraising section for more. 

Make a donation

It’s very easy to make a donation to TOFS, regardless of where you live in the UK, or worldwide. The easiest and quickest way to donate to TOFS is via People’s Fundraising.

You can also donate via the banking app already on your phone (via BOPP) or via PayPal, bank transfer and cheque.

Click here to find out more.

Join a TOFS challenge event

We now offer access to a huge number of challenge events all across the UK – everything from inflatable fun runs to ultra marathons

Find an event near to you.

Hold a tea party for TOFS!

Invite you friends and family round and hold your very own “Tea for TOFS” tea party!

Start a Facebook or Instagram fundraiser

Creating a fundraiser on Facebook is a quick and simple way to help raise the profile of the condition as well as vital funds. Why not hold a fundraiser for a birthday or other significant date?

Thank you for all your support