An accomplished business professional Donald (Don) Lee Pferdehirt serves as the president of ChemOps Insights, LLC, in Spring, TX. Outside of his professional life, Don Pferdehirt has worked with organizations such as the Lupus Foundation of Pittsburgh to help continue the fight against Lupus.
For those diagnosed with lupus, the stigma and misconceptions of the illness can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. To spread awareness of the autoimmune disease, in 2018 the World Lupus Foundation released findings from an international survey on May 10, World Lupus Day.
The survey showed that more than half of respondents (51 percent) were not aware lupus is a disease. Lack of knowledge was particularly prevalent among older respondents. Of those aged 55 and older who did know lupus was a disease, 48 percent of them were not aware of any of the complications that can develop from the illness.
However, a significant percentage of young people between the ages of 18-34 (40 percent) knew that kidney failure is a common complication associated with the disease. This is likely due to the public comments singer and actor Selena Gomez has made about her struggles with lupus.
For those diagnosed with lupus, the stigma and misconceptions of the illness can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. To spread awareness of the autoimmune disease, in 2018 the World Lupus Foundation released findings from an international survey on May 10, World Lupus Day.
The survey showed that more than half of respondents (51 percent) were not aware lupus is a disease. Lack of knowledge was particularly prevalent among older respondents. Of those aged 55 and older who did know lupus was a disease, 48 percent of them were not aware of any of the complications that can develop from the illness.
However, a significant percentage of young people between the ages of 18-34 (40 percent) knew that kidney failure is a common complication associated with the disease. This is likely due to the public comments singer and actor Selena Gomez has made about her struggles with lupus.
