Informative Videos: We've come a long way, but there's still a long way to go.

Many patients diagnosed with Lupus go a very long time without being properly diagnosed. They go from one doctor or specialist to another. The best analogy is that they have all the specialists, or deck hands, and no one physician in charge, or a captain driving the boat. Luckily, some medical schools are training medical students to specifically recognize lupus and its symptoms so fewer patients go years without being diagnosed.




The Lupus Foundation of America, Inc., is working hard to make living with lupus easier and is working towards finding a cure.
The following is a message from Sandra C. Raymond, President and CEO of LFA:





More information to come soon!

-Callie

First Annual Howl at the Moon Bar Crawl was a Success!

Friday, October 21, 2011, the Lupus Foundation of America, Inc., sponsored a bar crawl at Five Points in Birmingham: The First Annual Howl at the Moon Bar Crawl. The event was a great success.
It was great to be able to provide information to passers-by on the street about what lupus is and the affects it has on patients diagnosed. Many people came up to our booth to tell us that they or family members are living with lupus. It was amazing to see that so many people in our area are living with this disease.
After the event ended at 10:00pm, door prizes were awarded. Everyone was really excited about the prizes they received, all of which were donated.

Hopefully, Howl at the Moon Bar Crawl will become an annual event.
More information to come soon!

2011 Howl at the Moon Bar Crawl

Please come out and support the Lupus Foundation of America, Inc.-Mid-South Chapter!

Event Information:
The Lupus Foundation of America, Mid-South Chapter invites you to join us for our first annual Howl at the Moon Football Bar Crawl in Five Points! Support your favorite football team while enjoying drink and food specials at participating bars and restaurants. There will also be door prizes!

With your help, we will increase awareness and support for those affected by Lupus across Birmingham, the state of Alabama, and Mid-South. Proceeds from the event will go towards the expansion of support groups and programs needed to enhance the quality of life for Lupus patients. The first 100 participants to register will receive a free Howl at the Moon Football Bar Crawl t-Shirt!

All participants must be 21 years or older. Please bring a valid I.D. to the event.

Location: Five Points South 10th Ave. 20th St. South

Tickets are $12 when bought via the site above. $15 at the door the night of the event.


Schedule:


2011 Bar Crawl Schedule & Specials


6:00-7:00
Registration
*All participants must come to the registration table before the bar crawl begins
(Will take place at the center of Five Points, in front of Original Pancake House and Starbucks)

7:00-8:00
Mellow Mushroom
Specials: $3.00 Garlic Bread with Cheese
$4.00 Bruschetta
$2.50 for 5 Oven Roasted Wings
$4.50 10 Oven Roasted Wings
$3.50 Sweet Water 420, Blue, IPA, and Georgia Brown
$2.00 Yuengling
25% off In-Stock Merchandise

AND

The J. Clyde
Special: One Free Appetizer Per Participant
(With Purchase of Food or Drink)

8:00-9:00
Fuego Cantina & Saloon
Special: $3.00 Pints of Dos Equis

AND

MetroPrime Steakhouse
Special:½ Off Glasses of Wine

AND

The H-Bar (located inside The Hotel Highland)
Special: $5.00 Martinis

9:00-10:00
Dave's Pub
Special: $3.00 Pints of Sprecher Oktoberfest

AND

Bacchus
Special: $5.00 Vodka and Killer Buzz

Please come out and have a great night with great people for a great cause!

Update: Lunch and Learn

The Fall quarter Lunch and Learn, "Coping with Lupus", was held yesterday, October 4, at 12:00 PM. Dr. Pamela Parker, M.D., of Birmingham's VA Medical Center, came to speak to the group about the many issues Lupus patients face on a daily basis. The large topics seemed to be handling stress and fatigue.
These topics are very important to cover, not only for patients, but also for their friends and family. Stress is very much related to the level of fatigue experienced. Dr. Parker discussed ways of dealing with fatigue in general. Her tips included things such as taking rests before it becomes necessary to alleviate exhaustion. Stressors vary depending on the individual, but everyone experiences stressors to an extent. A person living with Lupus has the very obvious stressor of health problems. They may also experience stress related to their health care providers, health insurance and monetary issues, and family issues related to misunderstandings of health implications. Stress is unavoidable, but there are many healthy methods to cope with stress. Learning how to say "No" and accepting one's limitations is a very important coping strategy for dealing with stress.
Overall, the Lunch and Learn was a great success! Check back to learn when the Winter quarter will be and the topic that will be covered.

Lunch And Learn-Coping With Lupus

The Lupus Foundation of America, Mid-South Chapter

Invites You

To Join Us for Our "Brown Bag" Lunch and Learn Series

Featured Topic: "Coping with Lupus"


Featured Speaker: Dr. Pamela Parker, M.D.
Clinical Psychiatrist at Birmingham's VA Medical Center, Clinical Assistant Professor at UAB

When: Tuesday, October 4th 12:00-1:00 PM

Where: UAB Highlands, Media Room
1201 11th Avenue South
Birmingham, Alabama 35205

Bring your lunch and we'll bring the dessert!
Dessert will be provided by
Ashley Mac's Cafe/Catering/Gourmet To-Go

Lunch and Learns are informational health programs designed to bring lupus health information and hope and healing to our community.
Lunch and Learn programs are free of charge and open to the public, but registration is required.
Please contact Rebecca Smith at
rebecca.smith@lupusmidsouth.org to register.

Random Facts About Lupus

The Lupus Foundation of America, Inc., has many informative pamphlets and booklets loaded with information about lupus. I am using those items here to compile a list of random facts I believe everyone should know about lupus.

• First of all, there is no cure for lupus.
• Also, there is no single test used to diagnose lupus.
• Over 1.5 million Americans are living with lupus.
• Lupus can affect any organ in any person at any age.
• Over 90% of people living with lupus are female.
• The most common age group affected is 15-44 years old.
• People of color are more commonly affected. This includes, but is not limited to, African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Asian Americans, etc.
• If a person has a family member diagnosed with lupus, their chances of developing lupus increase by 5-13%.
• Lupus consists of flares (increased disease activity) and remission (little or no disease activity).
• LUPUS IS NOT CONTAGIOUS.

This is just a little information for anyone reading my blog. Later, I plan to describe the pathogenesis (the development of the disease) of lupus. Also, I hope to have a post that will explain what a person living with lupus goes through on a daily basis.

Again, I am new to this. Any advice is appreciated. I hope everyone enjoys the information I am providing! If anyone has any questions or comments, please feel free to post a response. Thank you!

Introduction to The Great Imitator: Lupus Awareness

Hello everyone!

My name is Callie Rowell.  I am an Honors in Nursing student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.  As an Honors student, I am implementing a Service Learning Project with the Lupus Foundation of America, Inc., Mid-South Chapter (LFA).

Service Learning incorporates community service with academic learning about a specific topic.  I chose to partner with LFA due to the fact that I have multiple members of my family affected by the disease.   My project focuses on patient and community awareness and the psychosocial aspect of patients living with lupus.  The tentative plan as of now centers around three separate events: a Lunch-and-Learn, a Pub Crawl, and a Symposium. 

I will update my blog in multiple ways. If more information about the events is available, I will let everyone know.  I plan to utilize my blog as a form of community and patient awareness by posting information about lupus.  I also plan to write a few different literary reviews throughout the next few months, possibly longer, as I plan to continue my blog and a partnership with LFA following the completion of my project.

I am new to this, so any comments, inputs, or questions will be greatly appreciated. More to come soon!

-Callie Rowell

Helpful Links

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Service Learning Resource

Lupus Foundation of America, Inc., Mid-South Chapter

Honors in Nursing Facebook Page