1st Annual Vitiligo Awareness 5K Walk. This event will bring attention to Vitiligo Awareness and will provide an opportunity to honor and celebrate those individuals living with this disease. Vitiligo is a condition that is caused by inflammation in the body that results in the skin losing its natural pigment and color. Vitiligo affects 70 million men, women, and children worldwide and causes significant challenges to mental health and self-esteem.

The event details are:

Vitiligo Awareness 5K Walk

                                                                   Saturday, September 24, 2022

Al Lopez Park, 4810 N. Himes Ave., Tampa, FL  33614

The event will kick off at 8:30 am

Awards will be given at the end of the event​

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Meet our Mistress of Ceremonies

Ms. Deanne King

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Deanne King is a proud southern gal who was born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida. Deanne joined the 8 On Your Side team in December 2019. She is the morning Traffic Anchor and For the Culture reporter on News Channel 8 Today from 4:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday. Deanne’s For the Culture segment highlights the great work minorities are doing across the Tampa Bay area.

These stories also tackle issues of racial discrimination and racial injustices happening in our area.  

Deanne is an alumna of the University of South Florida – Go Bulls! Before returning to Tampa, Deanne served as the weekend anchor/reporter for WCBD News 2 in Charleston, S.C. Deanne has had a passion for journalism and telling stories since she was in fifth grade.

Her goal is to impact her community and leave it better than how she found it.

Deanne is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

She was initiated into the Zeta Upsilon Chapter at USF.

While not at work, Deanne enjoys cooking, grocery shopping, traveling, trying new adventures, spending time with her nieces and being a dog mom to her little Yorkie, King.

Beautifully Unblemished Vitiligo Support Group, Inc. (BUVSG, Inc) is a non-profit community organization driven by passion and aspirations to help those affected by Vitiligo and their families.  The Beautifully Unblemished Vitiligo Support Group Inc. (BUVSG) was founded in 2018 striving to bring empowerment and outreach to those with Vitiligo in the sunshine state.  Since the foundation of BUVSG Inc. the organization has continued to expand, strengthening bonds within BUVSG and our communities as we work together to eradicate the social stigma surrounding Vitiligo.  We have positively impacted individuals living with Vitiligo.

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Through a combined effort and unrelenting perseverance, we aim to improve the quality of life for all those affected by Vitiligo. Our ultimate desires are to see changes in our communities in areas such as research funding, support group funding, and correct insurance labeling of vitiligo as a disease and not a cosmetic condition.

We have offered Empower You Seminar, Mind, Body, and Soul Seminar, Be*You*Tiful Photoshoot, Men Only Group Meetings, HERStory, ROCKING your Beautiful, Game Night (Youth) Painting with a Twist (Youth and Adults).  We host quarterly meetings in Central Florida and will be expanding to South Florida 2022. 

JUNE IS VITILIGO
AWARENESS MONTH

We received Proclamations from State of Florida-Governor DeSantis, City of Orlando-Mayor Buddy Dyer, City of Lakeland-Mayor Bill Mutz, Polk County Board of Commissioners, and City of Tampa-Mayor Jane Castor