NEC Awareness Day is observed worldwide every May 17 to highlight necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a serious intestinal disease affecting premature or very low birth weight infants. Established in 2018 by the NEC Society, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization founded by Jennifer Canvasser after her son Micah's death from NEC, the day aims to educate the public about this condition. Symptoms of NEC include poor feeding, abdominal distention, and bloody stools, with a significant risk of severe complications and a 25% mortality rate. The observance coincides with May being NEC Awareness Month, and the date references the average 17 years it takes for research findings to reach clinical practice. People participate by learning about NEC, donating to related organizations, and sharing information on social media using hashtags like #NECAwarenessDay. Awareness ribbons are also worn, with the NEC Society favoring blue and yellow, while NEC UK uses green and blue.