Join Lupus Foundation’s Heartland Chapter To Raise Awareness And Solve The Mystery Of Lupus

Guest Blogger Amy Ondr, President And CEO, Lupus Foundation of America, Heartland Chapter

Lupus is an unpredictable and misunderstood autoimmune disease that ravages different parts of the body. The symptoms can be severe and highly unpredictable. Lupus is a cruel mystery because it is undefined, has a range of symptoms, hits out of nowhere, and has no known cause or cure. More of your friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors live with or are impacted by lupus than you even realize.

Common symptoms of lupus include joint pain, skin rashes, overwhelming fatigue, and fevers that last for days or weeks. The inflammation caused by lupus can harm everything from the kidneys, lungs, brain and heart. Symptoms of lupus can come and go, change over time and often imitate other illnesses, making lupus difficult to diagnose, hard to live with, and a challenge to treat.

While lupus can strike anyone at any time, 90% of people living with lupus are female. Women of color are at especially high risk of developing lupus. Lupus usually develops between the ages of 15 and 44. While lupus can be disabling and fatal, the disease can be managed in most cases through aggressive medical treatment and lifestyle changes. Learn more about lupus at: www.lupus.org/heartland

The Lupus Foundation of America, Heartland Chapter is part of a national force devoted to solving the cruel mystery of lupus while providing caring support to those who suffer from its brutal impact. Through a comprehensive program of research, education, support and advocacy, we lead the fight to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus. 

The Lupus Foundation of America, Heartland Chapter, serving Missouri, eastern Kansas, and southern and central Illinois, provides programs and services for the estimated 50,000 people living with lupus within this area. We provide information and referral, support groups, educational programs, retreats for girls and young women with lupus, patient navigation and resources, and an assistance fund for patients in financial need. Our programs are free of charge.

The Heartland Chapter’s largest fundraising event, the Walk to End Lupus Now is a family-friendly event that brings together people living with lupus and their family and friends to raise funds and awareness of lupus. The St. Louis Walk will be on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, at Creve Coeur Park and includes kids’ activities such as the Bubble Bus, food trucks, music from DJ D2thaC, live mural painting with artist Michael Artis, exhibitor tables and Maryland Heights fire truck. Walgreens also will be providing flu shots.

Register for the Walk to End Lupus Now and start fundraising at: https://www.lupus.org/heartland/walk-to-end-lupus-now-2023

Editor’s note: Allsup helps individuals living with lupus apply for SSDI and return to work.