Fast Facts about Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
•Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) also known as Lupus is an auto-immune disease where the body’s immune system becomes hyperactive and forms antibodies that fail to recognise the difference between pathogens and healthy body organs therefore attacking healthy tissues including the skin, joints, kidneys, heart and lungs.
•Common symptoms include the swelling of the hands and feet, blood
clotting, painful joints, fatigue and skin lesions more typically the
facial malar butterfly rash.
•Lupus is neither infectious nor transmitted from one person to
another, mother to child and it is the cruellest and most difficult to
diagnose disease as it mimics other illnesses.
•There is currently no cure for Lupus and it cannot be prevented
but it can be managed with medication and a healthier lifestyle.
•It strikes without warning, is unpredictable and sometimes has fatal
effects.
•No two cases of Lupus are alike.
•Support is necessary to enable those affected with Lupus to cope
better.
•There is an opportunity to engage medical personnel to engage with
the world in finding a cure.
•In the U.S. it is recorded that 1 in 5 women has Lupus. In South Africa
there are no known statistics.
•There is no extensive research being done about Lupus in South
Africa.
•Lupus is a condition that many people know little about, yet it has
such devastating consequences.
Facts about The Lupus Foundation South Africa
•The Lupus Foundation South Africa was founded by Sibongile Komati,
Mahlatsi and the late S'Kay.
•The objective of The Lupus Foundation South Africa is to share and
invite as many sufferers and supporters as possible to become
integrally involved in educating all affected.
•The Lupus Foundation South Africa aims to create a platform where
doctors, nurses and all interested parties engage and look for
solutions to treat and manage this disease. It has been proven that
early detection and treatment of symptoms can control flare-ups
and prevent damage to organs.