It's OA/TOF Awareness Week
23rd February – 1st March
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.
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.
Please get involved and help us to spread the word by:
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.
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 release about OA/TOF that you can use when speaking to journalists.
NEW FOR 2026!
This Awareness Week, why not create and share a personalised certificate and celebrate the OA/TOF Hero in your life?
This could be your child, medical team, a friend/family member who has supported you on your journey or even for yourself.
Head over to https://tofs.org.uk/hero/ to find out more!
Help us raise awareness of TOFS by changing your social media profile photo for a week. Choose one of of our designs below.
Take a look at the latest products in our shop & help raise awareness of the condition.
Please consider adding a donation to your order to help offset production and postage costs.
Add to basket
Please consider adding a donation to your order to help offset production and postage costs.
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Please consider adding a donation to your order to help offset production and postage costs.
Add to basket
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.
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.
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.
Find your local representative’s details at:
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.
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 bank transfer or cheque.
We now offer access to a huge number of challenge events all across the UK – everything from inflatable fun runs to ultra marathons.
Invite you friends and family round and hold your very own “Tea for TOFS” tea party!
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?
