Lupus Awareness Month
October 2009
Learning about Lupus
Lucy Vodden, the woman who inspired The Beatles song ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ died recently from the chronic disease Lupus.
Many people in the community would have read the news reports of her death and known little about the disease, despite it being third highest cause of ill health in the community.
Director of Immunology for Hunter Area Pathology Service (HAPS) Associate Professor Glenn Reeves said that lupus is an autoimmune condition which causes the immune system to become confused and results in the body attacking healthy body parts.
“Lupus causes inflammation in the small blood vessels in the connective tissues. This inflammation may cause abnormalities in vital organs including the heart, brain, lungs, kidneys and skin, “ Dr Reeves said.
One out of 700 Australians are diagnosed with Lupus. It occurs at a higher rate and severity in Aboriginal Australians. It causes a mix of symptoms such as rashes, flu-like symptoms, fatigue and a general lack of energy.
“Because symptoms are subtle and non-specific, particularly in its early stages, it is often dismissed as a psychosomatic problem, delaying diagnosis. However, left untreated it can cause complications as it significantly increases the risk of developing other serious diseases such as heart disease”.
Dr Reeves said that it is important that people are aware of lupus and avenues available for people with the disease to gain support in managing the disease.
“Our experience is that people who have access to accurate information about living with lupus generally enjoy improved quality of life,” Dr Reeves said.
Dr Reeves said there were several Hunter services people living with lupus could access for support.
“The Autoimmune Resource and Research Centre (ARRC), based at John Hunter Hospital and supported by HAPS (Hunter Area Pathology Service), works together with the Scleroderma/Lupus Support Society to support people in managing their illness and cope with it in a positive way,” Dr Reeves said.
ARRC is also leading a number of research initiatives looking at the causes, diagnosis and optimal management of lupus and related autoimmune syndromes. “It currently offers access to a range of research, screening and therapy initiatives. These include identifying triggers for lupus-related illnesses, assessing for autoimmune clusters, early intervention and the development of diagnosis tools,” he said.
As part of Lupus Awareness Month, a Lupus Seminar is being held on Thursday 15th October from 6:00 – 8:30pm at Wests Mayfield. To register, please contact Janine on 49214095 or Julie on 49829555 or visit www.haps.nsw.gov.au
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Lupus Awareness Month
October 2009
Lucy Vodden, the woman who inspired The Beatles song ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ died recently from the chronic disease Lupus. Many people in the community would have read the news reports of her death and known little about the disease, despite it being third highest cause of ill health in the community. More »
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