Mari Gonzalez’s lupus diagnosis scared her. “I knew nothing about lupus,” she says about her October 2012 diagnosis. Being diagnosed with a chronic autoimmune disease that can affect virtually any organ system in the body can be difficult for anyone – especially a potentially life-threatening disease with no known cause and no known cure.
“When I was first diagnosed, my doctor advised me to contact the Lupus Society of Illinois for information and support – and that is exactly what I did,” Gonzalez says. She discovered the Lupus Society of Illinois (LSI) had the facts about lupus as well as unique programs and services to assist her with the unique issues people with lupus are faced with – and the LSI provides all of its programs and services at no cost.
Gonzalez’s is a common story for the LSI. “People contact us every day with questions ranging from finding a doctor to financial assistance,” says President and CEO of the LSI Charles Brummell. “Our programs and services are designed to meet the needs of the lupus community – people with lupus, those who care about them as well as health care professionals.”
The LSI’s mission is to promote lupus awareness and complement the work of health care professionals by providing personalized resources for the lupus community while supporting research. To fund its mission, LSI relies on foundations, corporations, donors and the Illinois Lupus Walks – including Chicago’s event coming up on Sunday, September 7, 2014.
Gonzalez will be at the Chicago Lupus Walk with her support system, “I have so much support from my family and friends. Everyone is so very proud of me for the changes I’ve made since being diagnosed with lupus and my commitment to raising awareness about lupus,” she says. The woman who became empowered through the lupus community is now one of its most vocal activists. “The world needed an outspoken person to advocate for lupus – and that’s my job!”
Registration for the Walk is open online at www.lupuswalkil.org or call 312-542-0002 (toll free at 800-258-7872). Registration is $25 for adults ($30 day-of) and children are $10 both pre- and day-of registration. Participants are encouraged to create a personal fundraising page on the Walk website to raise money, recruit new team members, and get valuable fundraising tips.
