World Lupus Day

The World Lupus Day Proclamation

Please join the international lupus community in urging your government to adopt and issue the World Lupus Day Proclamation.

Whereas, lupus is an autoimmune disease that can cause severe damage to the tissue and organs in the body and, in some cases, death; and

Whereas, more than five million people worldwide suffer the devastating effects of this disease and each year over a hundred thousand young women, men and children are newly diagnosed with lupus, the great majority of whom are women of childbearing age; and

Whereas, medical research efforts into lupus and the discovery of safer, more effective treatments for lupus patients are under-funded in comparison with diseases of comparable magnitude and severity; and

Whereas, many physicians worldwide are unaware of symptoms and health effects of lupus, causing people with lupus to suffer for many years before they obtain a correct diagnosis and medical treatment; and

Whereas, there is a deep, unmet need worldwide to educate and support individuals and families affected by lupus; and

Whereas, there is an urgent need to increase awareness in communities worldwide of the debilitating impact of lupus;

Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved that 10 May 2010 is hereby designated as World Lupus Day on which lupus organizations around the globe call for increases in public and private sector funding for medical research on lupus, targeted education programs for health professionals, patients and the public, and worldwide recognition of lupus as a significant public health issue.

Proclaimed This Day, 10 May 2010

As many of you know I have lupus. I've had it for almost 13 years, and I do like to use my blog to remind people of it every now and again. There is no cure......yet, only treatment of symptoms. It effects every choice I make of every day, and the weight of those choices varies from day to day depending upon the activity of the lupus. Some days are really bad, but most days are tolerable. Some days I lay on the sofa for a loooooong time... not because I'm lazy, but because I literally can do nothing else. Recently I couldn't roller skate with my kids, not because I can't balance on wheels, but because it was severely painful. Sometimes twisting off the lid of a jar of pickles can mean incredible hand pain for the next couple of hours.

In some ways Lupus has been a blessing because I am forced to constantly evaluate what my priorities are. What really matters the most each day, and what can wait. I have to admit that I still struggle in balancing it all, but I recognize I am a great work in progress. The truth is we all have our "diseases" to fight, literally or figuratively. I am grateful to know the name of mine, Lupus, because knowing what it is, having the definition for it, is a huge part of conquering it!

To learn more about lupus please visit www.lupus.org. It's my hope for a cure. I believe that one day there will be a cure, one way or another!