Yes you could automate it with a macro. Say your tickler is a two
column table with the task in column 1 and the due date in the right
column. Something like this (you will probably want to put in error
handlers):

Sub Test()
Dim oDate As Date
Dim myDate As Date
Dim oTbl As Word.Table
oDate = Date
Dim i As Long
Set oTbl = ActiveDocument.Tables(1)
For i = 1 To oTbl.Rows.Count
myDate = Left(oTbl.Cell(i, 2).Range.Text, Len(oTbl.Cell(i,
2).Range.Text) - 2)
If myDate oDate Then
oTbl.Cell(i, 2).Range.Font.Animation = wdAnimationBlinkingBackground
End If
Next i
End Sub