One Million Steps
for OCD Walk
The One Million Steps for OCD Walk is a community engagement event that allows individuals across the country to connect, share stories, create impact, and show those struggling on their road to recovery that they are not alone. In addition, the OCD Walk is an opportunity to raise funds and awareness of what it really means to have OCD!
The One Million Steps for OCD Walk is a community engagement event that allows individuals across the country to connect, share stories, create impact, and show those struggling on their road to recovery that they are not alone. In addition, the OCD Walk is an opportunity to raise funds and awareness of what it really means to have OCD.
Proceeds benefiting:
Thank you to our Marquee Sponsor:
Why We Walk
Every dollar raised goes towards supporting those impacted by OCD and related disorders. Funds raised help the IOCDF to:
Educate
Provide education about what it really means to have OCD or a related disorder to shorten the time to proper diagnosis.
Support
Increase the number of trained therapists so everyone impacted by OCD has access to effective treatment.
Inspire
Engage the entire OCD and related disorders community to advocate and educate in order to reduce stigma!
How to get involved in the OCD Walk:
1. Find and attend a public Walk near you
More than 40 OCD Walk events will take place in communities across the country (and globe!) this year — register to join one today!
2. Walk with family and friends in a private Walk
Start a fundraising team within the OCD Community Walk and share it with your network to walk and fundraise together (or fundraise on your own).
3. Host a public OCD Walk yourself
Learn how you can bring the OCD Walk to your local community by signing up to organize a public event — from venue selection to cutting the break tape! Email our Walk Manager, MK Lang-Moison, at mklang@iocdf.org to learn more.
Become an OCD Walk sponsor!
Sponsoring the OCD Walk gives your organization visibility at 40+ events nationwide, including the flagship Boston OCD Walk on May 17, 2025. Beyond the in-person events, OCD Walk sponsors are promoted in a variety of print and digital mediums, including*:
- Marketing emails to 26k+ subscribers
- Registration and fundraising pages
- OCD Walk T-shirts (an attendee favorite!)
- Flyers (digital and print)
- Social media post
- Promotional giveaway items
- Emcee recognition
- Press releases
...and more! View the 2025 OCD Walk Marketing Prospectus (PDF) for more info.
*Eligibility based on sponsorship level. Higher-visibility sponsorships are limited in quantity and opportunities are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
Thank you to our 2025 sponsors:
Walker Testimonials
I walk so that one day, OCD will be as recognizable as a common cold, so that people don't need to go years wondering why they have such terrifying thoughts and feel compelled to compulsion. I walk so that treatment providers will be well-educated about proper OCD treatment, and people can get help as soon as they need it.
Maya Tadross
IOCDF Advocate and OCD Walk Participant
For someone like me, who was struggling with OCD to a debilitating degree and lived in isolation, the idea of publicly denouncing the shame that OCD instills was a liberating thought. I knew I had to be part of this movement in any way that I could! The grassroots Community Walk allowed me and those unable to attend in Boston to participate on the official walk day wherever they were located!
Hannah Zidansek
IOCDF Advocate and OCD Walk Participant
It's so nice to be with people who understand the challenges of having OCD or loving someone with OCD. The sense of community at the Walk is just tremendous.
David Calusdian
IOCDF Board Member
These days mental health challenges are getting more attention, but people with OCD and their families often feel very isolated. The One Million Steps for OCD Walk is an important reminder that we are not alone and that help is available. When my daughter and I participated in the Walk, there was a feeling of joy in the air. How wonderful to be seen and accepted.
Hillary Twining
OCD Walk Participant
Find a Walk near you!
OCD Walks are scheduled to take place across the country throughout the year with more events being added each week.
Find an event near you and make sure to sign up for email alerts to be the first to know if an event is added in your area.
Never miss an update:
Sign up for email alerts to be the first to know of an event in your area!
Our Inspiration
In 2012, Denis Asselin walked over 500 miles — or roughly one million steps — from his home in Cheyney, PA, to Boston, MA, in memory of his son Nathaniel. Nathaniel took his own life at just 24, after a long struggle with severe body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and OCD. After Nathaniel’s death, Denis decided to embark on a pilgrimage to honor Nathaniel and to raise awareness about the disorder that stole his young son’s life. On June 5, 2012, Denis completed his walk in Boston, and was greeted by staff of the International OCD Foundation, as well as friends, family, and members of the OCD community at a rally honoring Denis and supporting OCD and BDD awareness. To carry on this tradition, the One Million Steps for OCD Walk was created the following year in the same spirit of raising awareness, funds, and hope. It is in this spirit of hope that we invite you to join us.
