WHAT ABOUT LUPUS?

 

 

We all have walked with our pink ribbons on in support of breast cancer, flaunted our red ribbons in support of National Aids Awareness, or donned our bright t-shirts in support of Alzheimer’s or Junior Diabetes, but what about lupus?

The issue here is not that people don’t necessarily want to support lupus research or that they don’t care about individuals that suffer from this debilitating disease. No, the problem is that not enough people are aware of what lupus is, who it affects, and how they can help.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (S.L.E.), commonly called lupus, is a chronic autoimmune disorder that can affect virtually any organ of the body. In lupus, the body's immune system, which normally functions to protect against foreign invaders, becomes hyperactive, forming antibodies that attack normal healthy tissues and organs, including the skin, joints, kidneys, brain, heart, lungs, and blood.

It is estimated that 1.5 million Americans suffer from lupus, with 16,000 cases diagnosed annually. So, if the number of people affected is so large, why is so little known about the disease?

For starters, there is currently no cure for lupus. And because symptoms can go into remission or mock those of other diseases, it is hard to diagnose. In fact, because the disease is so easily misdiagnosed, by the time the proper diagnosis is given these individuals find that it’s too little, too late.

The most important step in garnering the support for individuals who suffer from this disease and those who have loved ones what have been affected is increasing awareness.

To find out more information about this disease visit the Alliance for Lupus Research at www.lupusresearch.org. You can also join their social networks by following them on twitter at twitter.com/allaince4lupus or liking the Facebook page www.facebook.com/allianceforlupusresearch.

Next year, I hope to see you rocking purple in support of Lupus. And don’t forget, to spread the word. 

 

-Tonye Fohsta-Lynch