Raising awareness about the threat of lupus

The Milwaukee Urban League Guild and the Wisconsin chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America teamed up on Saturday, May 24, 2014, to present a Day of Awareness. During that day, community volunteers set up an information booth inside Lena’s Food Market at Capitol Drive and N. Teutonia Avenue, to pass out literature and reach out to shoppers to educate them about this chronic condition. Lupus is an autoimmune disease which is more common and more severe among women, and for which there is no known cure. It causes inflammation that can damage major organs, such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, skin and brain. Symptoms and effects of the disease can be controlled with medication and lifestyle management; and lupus sufferers can experience periods of disease flare-up and remission. Among the community volunteers who participated in the Lupus Day of Awareness were (standing from left) event coordinator and lupus survivor Linda Presberry, Johnny Miller, Milwaukee Urban League CEO Ralph Hollmon; (seated from left) Urban League Guild President Michelle Crockett, Cynthia Stokes-Murray, and Amy Hall. On Saturday, June 7, 2014 the Lupus Foundation will host their annual Lupus Walk on the Mt. Mary University campus in Wauwatosa. In addition to the one- and three-mile walks, there will be food and fun activities for all attendees. For more information and event times, go to www.firstgiving.com/lupuswi and click on Walk to End Lupus Now.