Lupus Foundation of America, Inc.
1300 Piccard Drive, Suite 220
Rockville, MD 20850-4303

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Duane Peters,
Lupus Foundation of America,
301-670-9292,
peters@lupus.org

National Town Hall Meeting Focuses on Problems of Lupus

Leaders from government, health organizations, and the medical community met today in Washington, DC, to focus public attention on lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease that affects 1,400,000 Americans, mostly women. The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) and the Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health hosted a two-hour national town hall meeting that connected communities across the nation by satellite to discuss this life-changing and potentially fatal disease.

Congresswoman Carrie Meek (D-FL), who lost a sister to lupus, delivered the keynote address. Last year, Congress enacted legislation introduced by Congresswoman Meek that authorized additional funds for lupus research and medical services. Congresswoman Meek has championed the lupus cause in Congress for nearly a decade and has been a strong advocate for the lupus community. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX) moderated the Lupus National Town Hall Meeting held in the Russell Senate Office Building Caucus Room.

Striking mostly young women of childbearing age, lupus causes the immune system to attack the body's own cells. Lupus can cause severe joint and muscle pain, extreme exhaustion, fevers, and skin rashes, and can attack vital organs. The exact cause of lupus remains unclear, and there is no cure. Lupus is two to three times more prevalent among women of color -- including African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians and Native-Americans -- than it is among Caucasians.

International Ford Agency actress and model Tomiko Fraser, whose sister is seriously ill with lupus, told of the devastating impact lupus can have on victims and family members. Tomiko serves as an LFA national spokesperson to alert the public about the hidden dangers of this potentially fatal disease.

Because symptoms of lupus mimic common illnesses, it can take four or more years, and visits to three or more doctors before obtaining a correct diagnosis of lupus. Without early diagnosis and the commencement of treatment, lupus can become life-threatening. The emotional and financial burdens placed on families by lupus are significant. Annual medical expenses for lupus average $6,000 - $10,000; however many patients face enormous medical bills when lupus attacks the kidneys, lungs, heart, or brain.

Other panelists included Dr. Stephen I. Katz, Director of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases; Dr. Wanda Jones, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health (Women's Health), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dr. Patricia Fraser, a lupus researcher from the Brigham & Women's Hospital and a member of the LFA Medical Council; Bobbie Drake-Saucer, co-founder of the Women of Courage Support Organization, and Congresswoman Donna Christian-Christensen, the first female physician elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Several other prominent members of Congress also delivered brief remarks.

The Lupus Foundation of America is the only nationwide voluntary health organization working exclusively on behalf of lupus patients and their families. The LFA offers programs of education, awareness, support, advocacy and research through a network of local chapters and community-based support groups. For a free brochure on lupus call toll-free 800-558-0121, or visit the LFA web site at http://www.lupus.org.

For more information, go to NWHIC's Lupus event section.