VR Foundation — 2025 Year-End Report (Ep. 56)

An Entire History Of the World Vitiligo Day (Ep. 61)

Discover the extraordinary, little-known story behind World Vitiligo Day, observed every year on June 25. In this episode, we unpack the remarkable rise of World Vitiligo Day (WVD). Based on the comprehensive retrospective by the Vitiligo Research Foundation, we explore the grassroots efforts of advocates in India, the United States, and Nigeria, the unexpected role of Michael Jackson’s global fanbase, and how a network-centric movement helped push vitiligo into the scientific, public-health, and legislative spotlight.   📚 Prefer reading to listening? The full companion article is available on the VRF website [https://vrfoundation.org/news_items/history-of-the-world-vitiligo-day] and expands on many of the themes discussed in this episode.

The Jackson-Thomas-Harlow Effect On Vitiligo (Ep. 60)

The Jackson-Thomas-Harlow Effect describes how visibility, storytelling, and cultural representation can reshape public understanding of vitiligo. In this episode of Deep Dive in Vitiligo, we look at how: * Michael Jackson made vitiligo globally known, * Lee Thomas gave it a courageous and deeply human public voice, and * Winnie Harlow helped turn visible difference into mainstream representation. We also discuss how World Vitiligo Day transformed that visibility into a global advocacy movement — connecting patients, doctors, researchers, and communities around the world. A sharp look at medicine, media, and why human faces often change minds faster than facts. 🎙️ 📚 Prefer reading to listening? The full companion article, The Jackson, Thomas, Harlow Effect on Vitiligo [https://vrfoundation.org/news_items/the-jackson-thomas-harlow-effect-on-vitiligo] is available on the VRF website and expands on many of the themes discussed in this episode.

Google Doodle for World Vitiligo Day 2026 (Ep. 59)

Google sees billions of searches. But what if, for one day, it helped the world see vitiligo? In this episode of Deep Dive in Vitiligo, we explore the renewed campaign to bring a Google Doodle to World Vitiligo Day on June 25, 2026. Past attempts did not succeed. This year, the strategy shifts from emotional appeals to raw tech logistics. We discuss how the vitiligo community is mobilizing for a coordinated digital push with one simple goal: feed Google’s automated intake systems with enough structured public signal. By saturating the web with a clear, unified message linking “World Vitiligo Day” directly to “Google Doodle,” the campaign aims to make the connection impossible to miss — and shine a literal ray of light onto a community that has spent too long in the shadows. From WVD’s grassroots beginnings in 2011 to its 2026 return to Chandigarh under the theme “From Stigma to Strength,” this is a story about symbols, recognition, and a patient community learning how to speak the language of the platforms that shape visibility today. Continue reading: Google Doodle for World Vitiligo Day 2026 [https://vrfoundation.org/news_items/google-doodle-for-world-vitiligo-day-2026]

Deep Dive in Vitiligo Is Back — And Yes, AI Made Us Busier (Ep. 58)

After a brief hiatus, the Deep Dive in Vitiligo podcast returns with a packed lineup of new episodes covering vitiligo science, lifestyle, advocacy, and technology. In this update, Yan Valle explains where the podcast has been, why AI didn’t save nearly as much time as promised, and what’s coming next—including * the Jackson–Thomas–Harlow Effect * children’s books * coffee and red wine * smoking and vaping * vitamin D megadosing * career success * nail changes * deodorants * and the growing role of artificial intelligence in healthcare. The voices may be AI. The research, writing, editing, and judgment remain entirely human. Subscribe now and join us for a new season of conversations at the intersection of skin, science, technology, and the human experience.

The State of Vitiligo 2025: A Fast-Moving Field With Slow-Moving Funding (Ep. 57)

In this closing 2025 episode, we unpack four decades of National Institute of Health (NIH) data, compare vitiligo’s budget to other autoimmune and skin diseases, and explain the “industry twist”: tiny public dollars helped build the science, while the commercial market is now booming. We also look at the big paradox: vitiligo research helped spark major ideas in modern medicine (think immune pathways that later shaped blockbuster therapies), yet the shared infrastructure vitiligo now needs — US-based biobanks, registries, and longitudinal cohorts — remains fragmented. Meanwhile, the commercial side is moving fast, with a billion-dollar market and crowded pipelines. Read the full report in two parts: The Vitiligo Paradox – Common Disease, Rare Funding [https://vrfoundation.org/news_items/the-vitiligo-paradox-common-disease-rare-funding] Who Gets to Do Vitiligo Science? [https://vrfoundation.org/news_items/who-gets-to-do-vitiligo-science]