Worldwide Lupus Organizations Seek Greater Attention and Resources for Disease Affecting Five Million People
WASHINGTON, April 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Lupus Foundation of America will join approximately 100 international lupus organizations to conduct the fourth annual observance of World Lupus Day on May 10, 2007. More than 1.5 million Americans and at least five million people worldwide, mostly women, struggle daily with the debilitating health consequences of lupus, a life-threatening disease which causes the immune system to attack the body’s own cells and organs. People with lupus – who face possible strokes, heart attacks, disabling pain, disfiguring skin rashes, and other serious health problems – are calling for more research, safer and more effective treatments, and improved health care.
Lupus is an Urgent International Health Problem
Lupus disproportionately strikes young women in their prime of life between the ages of 15 and 44. The disease often goes unrecognized because its primary symptoms – joint pain, fatigue, skin rashes, and fevers – mimic many common illnesses. It spares no organ, as every part of the body can be affected, including the skin, heart, lungs, kidneys, and brain. There is no cure for lupus and it can be fatal. There have been no new drugs approved to treat lupus in more than 40 years.
Why Observe World Lupus Day?
Lupus is under-recognized as a global health problem. Early detection, improved diagnostic tools, and more effective treatments can help slow and even halt the progression of lupus. Improved awareness of lupus symptoms will save lives.
World Lupus Day provides a forum for the exchange of scientific information, increased public understanding of the physical, emotional, and economic impact of lupus, and the promise that the disease is finally being recognized and addressed on a global scale.
Hope on the Horizon for Lupus
International efforts to unravel the scientific mysteries of lupus are gaining momentum. Multiple international lupus clinics are collaborating on research studies and clinical trials of potential new treatments offering people with lupus hope for an improved quality of life. Lupus organizations are generating increased public awareness and educating patients and health professionals about the disease. Governments are recognizing the need to provide more funds for medical research and patient services.
For additional information about the global effort to combat lupus, visit the World Lupus Day website at http://www.worldlupusday.org/.
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