Understanding Lupus… Join The Fight

What is Lupus

In continuing the with the healthcare education component of my website I decided to write to educate people on this disease.  Personally, many women who are close to me are currently or have been brave fighters of this disease including my mother (who continues to stand up to Lupus) and my aunt (who passed away some years ago from complications of the disease).

Together we can increase awareness around a disease that affects women of color 3 times more than white women.  We can stomp the disease out and find a cure but we must understand it first.  Join my fight…

There are over 1.5 million Americans diagnosed with lupus and approxmately 65,000 are in the state of Illinois.

I am fundraising for the Lupus Foundation of America, Illinois Chapter through their Walk For Lupus Now event. Please help me reach my fundraising goal by making a donation.

The money raised for this event will help the Lupus Foundation of America, Illinois Chapter continue their mission to inform, educate, and promote awareness of lupus, and to support those affected by the disease.

Click on the link below to make a donation on my personalized donation page.
To learn more about the LFAI, visit their website at www.lupusil.org.

Thank you for your support.

Follow This Link to visit my personal web page and help me in my efforts to support Lupus Foundation of America – Illinois Chapter

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http://2011lupuswalk.kintera.org/jbeckham7

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Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). Chronic means that the signs and symptoms tend to last longer than six weeks and often for many years. In lupus, something goes wrong with your immune system, which is the part of the body that fights off viruses, bacteria, and germs (“foreign invaders,” like the flu). Normally our immune system produces proteins called antibodies that protect the body from these invaders. Autoimmune means your immune system cannot tell the difference between these foreign invaders and your body’s healthy tissues (“auto” means “self”) and creates autoantibodies that attack and destroy healthy tissue. These autoantibodies cause inflammation, pain, and damage in various parts of the body

Lupus is also a disease of flares (the symptoms worsen and you feel ill) and remissions (the symptoms improve and you feel better). Lupus can range from mild to life-threatening and should always be treated by a doctor. With good medical care, most people with lupus can lead a full life.

• Lupus is not contagious, not even through sexual contact. You cannot “catch” lupus from someone or “give” lupus to someone.
• Lupus is not like or related to cancer. Cancer is a condition of malignant, abnormal tissues that grow rapidly and spread into surrounding tissues. Lupus is an autoimmune disease, as described above.
• Lupus is not like or related to HIV (Human Immune Deficiency Virus) or AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). In HIV or AIDS the immune system is underactive; in lupus, the immune system is overactive.
• Our research estimates that at least 1.5 million Americans have lupus. The actual number may be higher; however, there have been no large-scale studies to show the actual number of people in the U.S. living with lupus.
• It is believed that 5 million people throughout the world have a form of lupus.
• Lupus strikes mostly women of childbearing age (15-44). However, men, children, and teenagers develop lupus, too.
• Women of color are 2-3 times more likely to develop lupus.
• People of all races and ethnic groups can develop lupus.

More than 16,000 new cases of lupus are reported annually across the country.

A Few More Facts…

There are Three Types of Lupus:

	Systemic Lupus erythematosus the most serious form of Lupus, which may harm the skin mouth, kidneys, brain, lungs, and heart.
	Lupus that mainly affects the skin (discoid or cutaneous lupus).
	Lupus caused by medications (drug-induced lupus), which goes away when the medication is stopped.

 

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

	Only a doctor can diagnose lupus. If you think you or someone you know has Lupus, see a doctor may prescribe a variety of medications for the Lupus patient.
	If you have Lupus, you may need extra rest. Try to avoid stressful situations, and stay out of the sun. Some people should avoid sunlight because it may worsen the disease.
	We do not know what causes Lupus, but researchers are looking for a cure. Researchers also are improving ways to detect and treat the disease.

(The Information Provided is from the Lupus Foundation of America, The American Medical Association and The African American Community Health Advisory Committee… I am not a physician and this info is not intended to help any party self-diagnose. It is for information purposes only)