May Is Lupus Awareness Month

If you haven’t yet heard, May is honored as Lupus Awareness Month! What does that mean exactly? This month serves as a perfect time to come together in order to help raise awareness for a chronic autoimmune disease which an estimated 1.5 million Americans live with.

Throughout the month of May, there will be plenty of events and activities taking place around the country, and anyone who is interested can get involved. Lupus is classified as a chronic inflammatory disease that can have an impact on any part of the body.

Raising Awareness for Lupus

Studies have indicated that there are many Americans who don’t have any knowledge of lupus at all. This is a debilitating illness which can produce unpredictable symptoms and can lead to life-threatening complications. With the estimated global effect of this autoimmune disease, there has been a widespread effort to raise further awareness of the treatments available for lupus.

As it stands, 90 percent of all cases of lupus have been diagnosed in women, and many of them are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40. However, there is no single test that is available for this autoimmune disease. Lupus is diagnosed based on the physical symptoms present and a number of lab tests which are taken.

Lupus Walks and Wearing Purple

If you want to help raise awareness and funding for a cure this month, you could take part in the Walk To End Lupus Now. This is a half-day event which is set up by the Lupus Foundation, and they will be taking place all over the country throughout the year. If this won’t work for you during May, then you can join in on the observance of Put on Purple day which is going to be Friday, May 17th.

That Friday, thousands of people will be sporting purple in honor of anyone that they know who is living with lupus. Lupus clinical studies have shown that lupus is even more common and severe than what many realize. So, be sure to wear purple on the 17th this year and make sure that you tell anyone willing to listen why you are doing it!

The History of Lupus Awareness Month

Historically, the very first observance for lupus awareness took place back in 1977. At that time, President Jimmy Carter signed Public Law 95-72 which declared a week long national lupus observance. This first National Lupus Awareness Week was originally in September, but as the years passed, it was changed to October and lengthened.

Then in 2009, the Lupus Foundation of America had the annual Lupus Awareness Month officially changed to May. The foundation knew that this month provided an even better opportunity to promote awareness of this chronic inflammatory disease, so in the end this decision was widely supported.

Don’t Forget About World Lupus Day!

Lupus Awareness Month and World Lupus Day (which is observed on the 10th of May) have both become part of a growing grassroots movement to help raise more awareness for a disease that is both unpredictable and potentially deadly. Each year, these events help to raise considerable funds for ongoing lupus research projects and which support families that may be struggling with the costs of health care. This year, you can help to combat ignorance by showing your support in May.