Raising Awareness About Lupus
Leonard Santiago in Tips and Advices
May 11, 2022 • 3 min Read
May is Lupus Awareness Month. In 2020, I wrote an article for Ang Pinoy entitled “Ang Sakit na Lupus” and I also became a guest on their Facebook Live under tips and advices segment. This 2022, I am still advocating for Lupus.
What is Lupus? It’s an autoimmune disease where the person’s immune system is very confused and attacks its healthy cells instead of protecting them. Lupus can attack any organ and in some cases, it can affect multiple organs. The disease severity can vary from moderate to life-threatening. Patients who are diagnosed with this disease are maintained with immunosuppressants (oral/IV Chemo) and antimalarial/antirheumatic medications together with other medications that can protect a patient’s organs.
Diagnosing Lupus is like being blindfolded as Lupus is a good imitator and it mimics other symptoms of other diseases which makes it more difficult to diagnose. Patients with Lupus may not know that they have Lupus because of its deceiving traits.
Here in the Philippines, former Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared February as Lupus Advocacy week – to spread awareness about Lupus’ invisibility, and how life-threatening, and life-changing it is. Lupus disease is called “Sakit pang mayaman” because of the expensive treatments that Lupus patients must undergo. By God’s grace, our Live Love and Hope were able to contribute small help to patients.
This month, we encourage you to color it purple! There are some ways how you can help our blossoming community by spreading awareness and of course, give hope to a Lupus patient.
Ways on how you can help Live Love and Hope:
1. Go purple with us!
We have the official Lupus Awareness Month 2022 shirt. Proceeds coming from our shirts are funding our projects for patients. To see the designs and how to order them, kindly visit our form at bit.ly/lam2022shirt.
2. Raise funds, donate, and shop
Live Love and Hope needs donations to fulfill our mission for Lupus patients. We can help you organize your fundraising events such as butterfly cookies for Lupus patients, lavender candles for Lupus patients, and many more. There are so many ways to raise funds for Lupus patients, we can assist you to start doing your fundraising and of course, promote you through our social media platforms. Fundraising may be daunting for you but don’t worry for there are other ways to help our Lupus patients.
3. Volunteer
Volunteers have an option to either volunteer to distribute the medications or in some other activities like a bible study conductor for our patients, form a singing club, conduct a crochet class or organize a youth day all for Lupus patients.
There are many activities that you can volunteer with. If you have an idea and would like to do this with our Lupus patients, you are very much welcome.
4. Healthcare providers
If you’re a healthcare provider or practitioner, we would like to invite you to share informative and educational talks with our patients to help them cope.
5. Use your social media to advocate
Feel free to follow or like our social media platforms and share the information or the stories of our brave warriors on your wall.
To learn more about how you, your business, or your company can support Lupus patients through our projects, you can message us at info@liveloveandhope.com and schedule an appointment with us! To check our projects, please visit our website: https://liveloveandhope.com/ourprojects.
Let’s make a positive place for people battling Lupus, stand together with us to fight Lupus! Let’s color it purple!
Feature Photo Source: Lupus Foundation of America
