Having trouble viewing this email? View it in your web browser

Share this: 

May 2024 

A Letter from the President

I hope this email finds you well!

Lupus Awareness Month is winding down and we are taking advantage of every day!  

Take advantage of the Walk Registration Match! LSI's Board of Directors is matching all registration fees through May 31st. Don't miss this opportunity to jump-start your fundraising just by registering! 

The Western Suburbs Lupus Walk is scheduled for August 10th and the Chicago Lupus Walk is scheduled for September 15th.

Registering for the Lupus Walk is just one way you can promote Lupus Awareness Month!  So many of you have sent photos and stories about how you are taking the opportunity to increase lupus awareness in your own neighborhoods and we truly appreciate all of your hard work!  

Both the Where Medicine Meets Music event and the annual Empowering Lupus Patient Educational Event were hosted in May - bringing out supporters to listen and learn with others from the lupus community.  You can read wrap up information below.

At the Empowering Lupus Patient Educational Event, Dr. Irene Blanco talked about research - and highlighted three research opportunities currently avaialble - including the ACTIVATE study.  Find out more here or contact Mary at mary@lupusil.org.

As we celebrate the last few days of Lupus Awareness Month we hope that you will share your photos and stories with us.  Share your accomplishments and inspire others to take action.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Together we make a difference.

Mary

 

Research Opportunity

This Activate study aims to engage and empower community leaders to share accurate and well guided messages about COVID-19 vaccines with their community members. 

For more information click here or contact mary@lupusil.org.

LUPUS AWARENESS MONTH

Lupus Awareness Month is the time of year when members of the lupus community take time to educate their families, workplaces and neighborhoods about lupus.  Education can be as modest as sending an email to your friends and family about lupus to organizing a Lupus Awareness Day at your office. We encourage you to get creative as you raise awareness about this often misunderstood disease.

Looking for ideas on how to educate your community about lupus?  Check out our Lupus Awareness Month page.  You'll find downloadable posters, proclamations, and more!

We'll have Facts of the Day you can share on social media!

AND, register for either the Western Suburbs Lupus Walk or the Chicago Lupus Walk by May 31st and your fee will be matched!

Let us know how YOU are celebrating Lupus Awareness Month and we'll share your story with the entire LUPUS COMMUNITY!

EDUCATIONAL EVENTS

EDUCATIONAL EVENT WRAP UP 

Congratulations and Thank You to Lupus Warriors LaShon Gurrola, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC and Dion Langley, Independent Drummer, Lupus Advocate and CEO/President #BeatLupus LLC on the first part of their multi-part series "Where Medicine Meets Music." 

Check out photos from this event here. 

The event was on Facetime Live and included a brief Q&A and a concert! 
Stay tuned for details on information for the rest of the series! 

 

Empowering Lupus Patients Educational Event

Special thanks to everyone who came out to the LSI's Empowering Lupus Patient Educational Event on May 18, 2024.

The event featured three presentations:

SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY: CHANGE AND CONFUSION
Presented by: Jeffrey A. Rabin

THE LATEST IN LUPUS RESEARCH & THE IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH & SAFETY OF CLINICAL TRIALS 
Presented by: Irene Blanco, M.D.

CLINICAL TRIALS: A LUPUS PARTICIPANT'S PERSPECTIVE
Presented by: Stacey Kennedy-Conner

Check out more photos from the event here.

The event was sponsored by Aurinia Pharmaceuticals.

ILLINOIS LUPUS WALKS

WESTERN SUBURBS

2024 Western Suburbs Lupus Walk
August 10, 2024
Naperville Riverwalk
9:00am – Registration
10:00am – Walk Starts

CHICAGO

2024 Chicago Illinois Lupus Walk & Fun Run
Sept 15, 2024 (Date subject to change)
Arvey Park| Grant Park
8:30am – Registration
10:00am – Walk Starts

WALK COMMITTEES

Are you interested in helping plan the 2024 Illinois Lupus Walks? 

If you are interested in joining a committee, please reach out to Lisa at lisa@lupusil.org or 312-542-0002. 

HEALTH FAIRS

Health Fair Volunteer Robertha meeting David Eigenberg

Health Fair with a Celebrity

Lupus Warrior Robertha McNeil represented LSI at a children's health fair in Evergreen Park. 

TV star David Eigenberg was in attendance and was lucky enough to meet Robertha!

Thanks, Robertha for all you do!  

Health Fair volunteer LaVita

Health & Wellness Expo

Lupus champion and new spport group leader Lavita represented LSI at a Health and Wellness Expo in Wadsworth, IL. Lavita had the opportunity to make contact with others in the community , including Alderman Keith Taylor of Waukegan, and educate them about lupus. 

Thanks, Lavita!

If you are interested in representing the LSI at health fairs, contact Lisa at lisa@lupusil.org.

SUPPORT GROUP UPDATE

LSI's Support Groups are an amazing resource. Meetings are run by lupus warrior volunteers who commit themselves to leading meetings and serving their communities. 

  You can find the LSI's support groups listed here and on our calendar here.

New LSI support groups

 The new Zion Support Group met for the first time on May 6th.  There were 2 members in addition to the leader.  

If you've ever been interested in joining a support group now's the time!  check out our list of support groups here.

JOIN LUPUS CHARITY RUNNERS

Join Lupus Charity Runners for the 
2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon

If you have your own spot in the Chicago Marathon, join us!

All of our RUNNERS receive the following benefits:

  • Training to help you complete the Bank of America Chicago Marathon safely!
  • 2 tickets to the pre-marathon pasta party!  
  • LSI Water Bottle + goodies! 
  • Lupus Charity Runner singlet! 
  • Additional fundraising incentives for exceeding your goal! 
  • Personalized fundraising webpage to help you reach your fundraising goal!
  • LCR fundraising guide, creative tips and one-on-one assistance to help you reach your goal! 
  • Exhilaration of doing good for others while doing well for yourself! 

50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

New memories are being made every day!  Join us and make memories of your own.

Share your photos, memories and congratulations!  We're celebrating our 50th anniversary and we want to hear from YOU!  Share your stories, photos or just congratulations here or post to social media using #LSI50!

Visit our website here and share!

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

Fatigue & Lupus

A major problem for people living with lupus is fatigue – chronic debilitating fatigue that significantly decreases quality of life and increases the risk of work disability.

How does someone manage fatigue?  Finding strategies that work for you and for lupus patients in general is the purpose of the Lupus Intervention Fatigue Trial (LIFT).  

MORE

Lupus Clinical Trial Opportunity

If you have lupus, you may qualify.  
• Do you have active lupus that is not responding to your current medications?
• Are you between the ages of 18-65?
If so, you may be eligible to participate in a clinical trial testing if a new type of cellular therapy is effective and safe in treating active lupus.

MORE

 

312-542-0002 | info@lupusil.org 
Follow us!

Unsubscribe or Manage Your Preferences