Oregon has joined a select few other states in recognizing a debilitating and painful disease of lupus – and May is officially Lupus Awareness Month in Oregon. The Oregon State Legislature unanimously approved the designation of May as Lupus Awareness Month in Oregon last year and for the second annual of this milestone, Molly’s Fund Fighting Lupus (the organization that pushed to have Oregon designate the month) has been fundraising and has launched the first ever comprehensive Lupus Awareness Campaign in the Northwest. Molly's Funed Co-Founder, Molly McCabe, who is living with Lupus, and Spokesperson Anita Noble, also living with Lupus, joined us today to explain more about this devastating disease and Molly's Fund.

Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). When a person has lupus, something goes wrong with the immune system, and it cannot tell the difference between foreign invaders and your body’s healthy tissues and creates auto-antibodies that attack and destroy healthy tissue. The result is intense inflammation, pain, and damage in various parts of the body.  There is no cure, and thousands of Oregonians suffer from this illness, and millions do world wide.

Some Hard Facts:
• 1 in 185 people have lupus
• More than 16,000 develop the disease each year (in the US)
• Ninety percent of people with lupus are women, and 80% develop the disease between the ages of 15 and 45
• Lupus is 3 times more likely among women of color
• More than 50% of lupus patients see more than 3 doctors before diagnoses
• Lupus is more common than muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, leukemia and cystic fibrosis combined…

Lupus Awareness Month Activities. For information on the following or more information on Lupus go to MollysFund.org.

Candlelight Vigil
May 10th – 8pm
Join us as we honor those who have died in the fight against Lupus.  We will gather along the waterfront by the Morrison Bridge.

Lighting of the Morrison Bridge
May 10th – Sundown
The Morrison Bridge will be changing its colors to reflect Lupus Awareness Month and Molly’s Fund Fighting Lupus.  Beautiful teals, blues and purples will be projected. 

Local Support Group Meeting
May 12th – 11am
If you or a loved one has lupus, please join us for our monthly support group meeting. 

Fighting Back – A Live Benlysta Education Event
May 19th – 1:30pm, Avalon Hotel
Learn more about lupus and the first drug in 54 years created to treat lupus

Butterflies in the Park – a Walk for Lupus Awareness
Sellwood – at Oaks Park – 8:30am
A fun walk for the whole family.  Join Us in a walk to fight lupus. 

Additionally, Molly’s Fund Fighting Lupus offers tremendous resources those afflicted with lupus.  Their web sites – Voices of Lupus and their main site are amazing communities with an online forum, physician insights, and a place where the voices of those who have lupus can share their experiences.  Molly’s Fund Fighting Lupus is a recognized leader in providing patient-first support to those affected by this disease.  Through support groups, education, advocacy and awareness building, Molly’s Fund is Oregon’s leading lupus organization. 

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