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Lupus Foundation spreads the word
BY TIME STAFF
Friday, October 23, 2009
GARY | Dr. Hemendra Parikh, a local
pediatrician, was the guest speaker at a
recent medical conference held at The
Methodist Hospitals' Northlake Campus
attended by more than two dozen
pediatricians and other medical and health
specialists. The purpose of the conference
was to help participants identify lupus
symptoms in children, distinguish special
problems of lupus in children, and analyze
neonates of mothers with lupus. Through a
grant awarded by Kohl's the Lupus Foundation
of America, Indiana Chapter, provided to
each participant a children's book titled
"Scott's Story About a Disease Called Lupus"
as well as medical information about
childhood lupus and basic information about
the illness
Lupus is a potentially fatal autoimmune
disease that approximately 1.5 million
Americans have. Based on 2006 census, it is
estimated that 34,187 of Indiana's residents
have lupus, including 2,671 residents in
Lake County, 865 residents in Porter County,
and 597 residents in La Porte County.
Inflammation is considered the primary
feature of lupus. Lupus is a potentially
fatal autoimmune disease capable of damaging
virtually any part of the body, including
the skin, heart, lungs, kidneys, and brain.
In its most severe form, lupus can cause
disfiguring rashes and scarring, multiple
miscarriages, kidney, heart and lung
failure, impaired neurological function,
strokes, heart attacks and death.
Lupus can be difficult to diagnose
because its symptoms are similar to those of
many other diseases. There is an urgent need
to educate patients and health care
providers to achieve earlier and more
accurate diagnoses. Improved management of
lupus will reduce and prevent its adverse
effects, particularly among those
communities most severely affected.
Nine out of then people with lupus are
women. Eighty percent of new lupus cases are
diagnosed among women ages 15 to 44.
The Lupus Foundation of America is the
nations leading nonprofit voluntary health
organization dedicated to find the causes
and cure for lupus. Research, education, and
patient services are at the heart of the
LFA's programs.
The Indiana Chapter of the LFA serves
more than 2,600 individuals and their
families affected by lupus who live in 14
counties in the Northwest Indiana region.
For more information on the Indiana Chapter
support groups, lupus, or the LFA, visit or
call (800) 948-8806.
NEW SUPPORT GROUP
The Lupus Foundation of America, Indiana
Chapter, a support organization for people
with lupus, has added a new local group
meeting in Hobart on the fourth Monday of
the month. Meetings are free and open to
anyone interested in learning more about
lupus, as well as, anyone living with a
chronic condition. The next meeting will
take place at 6:30 p.m. Monday in Conference
Room 3-A (West tower first floor), St. Mary
Medical Center, 1500 S. Lake Park Ave.,
Hobart. The topic will be "Banish Your
Holiday Stress," presented by Sharon Orenick,
MSW, LCSW.
The LFA, Indiana Chapter has formed this
group for those living with lupus, as well
as, their family members and caregivers. The
group allows its members an opportunity for
a healthy exchange of feelings, opinions and
thoughts while coping with this very
complicated illness. Meeting programs vary
from guest speakers to video presentations
and open group discussions.
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