Christ the Redeemer, in Rio de Janeiro, was lit in blue and red from 8 PM to 10 PM on August 31. The action marked the closing of the "Blue Red August" campaign, organized by the Brazilian Society of Angiology and Vascular Surgery (SBACV), dedicated to raising awareness about vascular diseases that affect veins and arteries. The colors represent the two systems of human circulation.
This year, the campaign takes place for the first time after the sanction of Law No. 15,470/2026, which established National Vascular Health Week. The mobilization will be held annually during the week that includes August 17. Another related regulation also took effect in 2026: Law No. 15,448 requires that Brazilian hospitals adopt venous thromboembolism prevention protocols, including identification of higher-risk patients.
Among the diseases addressed by the campaign are deep vein thrombosis, peripheral arterial disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm, carotid artery disease, diabetic foot vascular complications, lymphedema, and varicose veins. According to SBACV, some of these conditions may progress asymptomatically or present initially subtle signs, which reinforces the importance of medical evaluation when symptoms or risk factors are present.
