May is Lupus Awareness Month. Lupus is an invisible, complex and unpredictable chronic autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks healthy tissue and can damage any part of the body. An estimated 15,000 Utahns have lupus, there is no cure, and it takes an average of 4 to 6 years to diagnose. The Utah chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America has been making a difference for those affected by the disease for over thirty years.
The foundation has many programs for patients and caregivers. Programs include support groups; a bi-monthly educational program called H.E.A.L. (Health Education and Awareness of Lupus) that offers in-person and web-based seminars on a variety of topics; and an assistance program to help those with lupus pay for life sustaining medications.
The Lupus Foundation helps with overall well-being by holding free weekly yoga classes as well as healthy cooking and nutrition classes. They also aim to spread awareness about the disease.
SelectHealth recognizes the supportive services provided by the Lupus Foundation as another example of how Utah Gives Back.