May is Lupus Awareness Month

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory disease that remains somewhat of a mystery to doctors and scientists. It is a challenging condition to diagnose and difficult to treat. Lupus can cause a variety of symptoms that appear suddenly without warning. The disease has a broad range of symptom severity, and no two lupus patients are alike. The treatment plan for each lupus patient is therefore different.

May is lupus awareness month - a month when the lupus community comes together to raise awareness and make lupus visible. The color purple has been chosen to raise lupus awareness, and World Lupus Day is also called Purple Day.

Please continue reading to learn more about lupus, including what it is, whom it affects, and how you can aid lupus research to help solve the cruel mystery of this incurable disease.

What is lupus?

Lupus is a condition that causes pain and inflammation throughout the body. It is a chronic autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system attacks healthy joints, skin, and internal organs like the kidneys, heart, and lungs.

Lupus occurs in cycles, meaning an affected person can have periods of remission when they are symptom-free, alternating with periods of active disease when there is a flare-up of lupus symptoms.

The exact cause of lupus remains unclear, but scientists believe it is a combination of environmental and genetic factors.

What are the symptoms of lupus?

Lupus impacts various organs in the body, including the skin, heart, lungs, kidneys, and blood. It can range in severity from mild to severe. The most common symptom is pain. Other lupus symptoms include swelling, inflammation, hair loss, and extreme fatigue.

What are the different types of lupus?

From the medical term, systemic lupus erythematosus, the word lupus is Latin for wolf. The word erythro is an ancient Greek word for red, and it refers to the butterfly rash, a bright red rash on the nose and cheeks, which is a classic sign of the disease.

Other forms of lupus include cutaneous lupus, which affects the skin and causes a rash and thick, scaly lesions on the scalp, face, and neck. Drug-induced lupus erythematosus occurs as an adverse effect of certain prescription drugs used to treat high blood pressure, seizures, and thyroid conditions. It can also be caused by antibiotics, antifungals, and oral contraceptives. A rare form of lupus called neonatal lupus occurs in infants born to women with lupus.

Lupus Facts from the Lupus Foundation of America

Approximately 5 million people worldwide and 1.5 million Americans have lupus.
Women of childbearing age are at significantly higher risk of developing lupus. However, children, teenagers, and men can develop lupus too.
9 out of 10 people living with lupus are women. Most affected persons develop symptoms of the disease between the ages of 15 and 44.

Frequently Asked Questions

What month is dedicated to lupus?

The month of May is dedicated to raising awareness and letting the world know about the impact of lupus. The various chapters and support services of the Lupus Foundation of America conduct education programs in communities across the country during this time. They also run fundraising campaigns and use social media to educate people about lupus and how it affects us.

What day is lupus awareness day?

May 10 is Lupus Awareness Day or World Lupus Day. On this day and throughout May, multiple events are organized all over the country to spread awareness, raise funds, and help families affected by lupus gain access to more resources.

Why do we celebrate Lupus Day?

The majority of the public knows little to nothing about lupus. Lupus Awareness Month is celebrated every May to help raise awareness and fund more research to combat the disease and hopefully end lupus one day.

How can I help to raise awareness?

There are many ways you can help make a difference. Start by educating yourself about the disease. Choose a chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America (there are likely multiple chapters near you). Once you select your preferred chapter, find a walk, join advocacy efforts, make a donation, or start a fundraiser to reduce the financial impact of the disease on an affected person. Living with lupus is extremely challenging, and people diagnosed with this condition need all the support they can get to lead as much of a normal life as possible.

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