Lupus Foundation of America Awarded New Multi-Million Dollar Grant to Increase Lupus Awareness, and Expand Self-management Resources and Services
WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) announced it has been awarded a new five-year, multi-million-dollar grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to increase lupus awareness, reduce the time to an accurate diagnosis and improve the overall quality of life for people living with lupus. The funding will support and build upon the LFA's current lupus programs, resources and services designed to help people with lupus and their physicians, as well as those at risk of the disease.
"The Lupus Foundation of America has always been committed to providing wide-ranging support, educational resources, and comprehensive care programs and services to all those affected by lupus," said Stevan W. Gibson, president and CEO, Lupus Foundation of America. "A grant of this magnitude will significantly help the Foundation build sustainable resources and continue to address the complex needs of people with lupus, from the onset of symptoms, to early diagnosis and daily disease management."
Lupus affects an estimated 1.5 million people in the U.S., however, 63% of Americans surveyed have never heard of or know little or nothing about this disease that has no cure. As the leading source for information on lupus, the Lupus Foundation of America will use the new grant funding to focus on the following strategic goals:
- Raise awareness about lupus signs and symptoms and what to do if you have lupus;
- Increase awareness and access to lupus self-management tools and services; and
- Improve self-management behaviors among people with lupus to improve health outcomes.
Since 2015, the Lupus Foundation of America has worked with the CDC as part of a grant from the agency on a multi-faceted, national initiative called PULSE—Partners United for Sustainable Lupus Education. The Lupus Foundation of America's work through PULSE has led to the development of programs and services benefitting people with lupus and the advancement of lupus awareness.
Highlights from PULSE include the development of the National Resource Center on Lupus - a digital collection of valuable lupus resources and information trusted by four million people a year that serves to increase understanding of lupus among people impacted by the disease as well as physicians; the Be Fierce. Take Control.® lupus campaign bringing awareness to at-risk young Black and Latina women who are disproportionately impacted by lupus; the Take Charge email series designed to help people who have lupus learn how to manage their disease; building the National Lupus Partners Network, a network of more than 90 partners to help share information about lupus around the country; and much more.
Under the new grant, the Lupus Foundation of America will work with its national network of chapters, regional offices and support groups, and in collaboration with the CDC, people with lupus, and other stakeholders with national reach and experience addressing health disparities, to sustain PULSE. The Lupus Foundation of America will also work in collaboration with the American College of Rheumatology who was awarded funding for this grant.
About Lupus
Lupus is an unpredictable and misunderstood autoimmune disease that ravages different parts of the body. It is difficult to diagnose, hard to live with and a challenge to treat. Lupus is a cruel mystery because it is hidden from view and undefined, has a range of symptoms, strikes without warning, and has no known cause and no known cure. Its health effects can range from a skin rash to a heart attack. Lupus is debilitating and destructive and can be fatal, yet research on lupus remains underfunded relative to diseases of similar scope and devastation.
About the Lupus Foundation of America
The Lupus Foundation of America is the national force devoted to solving the mystery of lupus, one of the world's cruelest, most unpredictable and devastating diseases, while giving caring support to those who suffer from its brutal impact. Through a comprehensive program of research, education, and advocacy, we lead the fight to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus. Learn more about the Lupus Foundation of America at lupus.org.
Media Contact:
Mike Donnelly
[email protected]
(202) 349-1162
SOURCE Lupus Foundation of America
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