West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrissey and Secretary State Kris Warner signed the state proclamation declaring June 2025 Migraine and Headache Awareness Month.

The Mountain State joins many other states, cities and counties in recognizing the challenges facing 40 million Americans who experience headache and migraine disorders and are calling for a national strategy to offer solutions in expanding research, improving access to care, and addressing systemic inequities affecting people living with headache disorders.

Michele Vidulich, PA-C, a Pediatric Craniofacial Center Coordinator in Morgantown, said, “As a migraine sufferer since my mid-twenties, a concussion many years later caused a severe escalation to chronic status migraine which made life challenging for me. Thanks to expert care from Umer Najib, MD, at the WVU Headache Center, I have been able to get back in control. But many people in West Virginia and the U.S. lack the ability to receive the expert care of migraine specialists and suffer from inadequate treatment. Migraine is understudied and underfunded. With more research, awareness and understanding we can move forward to reduce the heavy burden of migraine sufferers. Migraine affects over a billion people in the world! I am very fortunate to be able to have excellent care but with more awareness and funding all migraine patients should also be having headache free days.”

The Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy (AHDA) estimates there are 266,273 people living with migraine throughout the Mountain State, with only four UCNS certified headache specialists available to treat them. The only cities with specialists include Charleston, Huntington, and Morgantown.

Migraine is the second leading cause of disability in the world and the leading cause of disability for women under 50 in the U.S. Headache disorders—including cluster headache, new daily persistent headache, and post-traumatic headache—are disabling, stigmatized, and routinely overlooked in public health priorities and funding.

Thousands of colorful flags transformed the National Mall in Washington, D.C. into a sea of purple this June, with a first-of-its-kind visual display represent the need for greater federal attention and public awareness. The Headache on the Hill Installation Project, organized by The Headache Alliance and the AHDA, serves as a national call to action during Migraine and Headache Awareness Month, centered around the anticipated introduction of landmark legislation, the HEADACHE Act.

A centerpiece of the installation is the highlighting of patient stories on both signage and digital resources. “We are putting a face, name, and voice to the lived experience of migraine and headache disorders,” said Julienne Verdi, Executive Director of The Headache Alliance and AHDA.

The HEADACHE Act (Headache Education, Access, Diagnosis, and Care Health Equity Act) will be the first standalone federal legislation addressing the epidemic of migraine and headache disorders. The legislation would expand research, improve access to care, and address systemic inequities affecting people living with headache disorders.

The Installation project launched with a Volunteer Day on May 31, where advocates, patients, and supporters from across the country came together to install the flags and signage. The installation will remain on the Mall for two weeks and included two major events: a Congressional Briefing on the HEADACHE Act on June 3 on the economic costs of migraine and a Speak Out for Headache Health Press Conference on June 4, held at the installation and livestreamed nationwide.

Actress and migraine advocate Bellamy Young said, “Migraine has shaped not only how I work, but how I move through this world, and I know I’m not alone. For too many, living with a headache disorder means being doubted, dismissed, and left out of the conversation. But those who suffer deserve better. The HEADACHE Act is about building the future we should’ve had all along: one with research, access to care, and understanding. I’m proud to raise my voice for a cause that touches so many millions of Americans.”

“Too often, patients with migraine are dismissed and underdiagnosed. Migraine is a serious chronic neurologic disease. Undertreatment leads to disease worsening and disability,” said Dr. Amaal Starling, Advocacy Chair of the American Headache Society. “These flags represent the many lives disrupted by stigma and inaction. This is a call to action to diagnose and treat migraine with the seriousness it deserves.”

The Headache Alliance is a nonprofit organization advancing public understanding, equity, and systems change for people living with headache disorders. The Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit that leads federal policy and advocacy efforts to improve the lives of people with headache disorders.

To learn more, visit: www.flagsforheadache.org.