Page 38 - N&V Winter 2019
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LUPUS EUROPE -                    LUPUS WORLD



                                     “Let’s Join Together to Fight Lupus”






          wOrlD luPus DAY:                   meeting point for those with a connection to  European delegates are looking forward to
          The World Lupus Day Observance had its  LUPUS EUROPE. LUPUS UK was     presentations from leading UK Lupologists.
          annual presentation on behalf of the  represented by Yvonne and Peter Norton,  world lupus Federation:
          World Lupus Federation by the LFA in  with Trustee, Sammy Ainsworth and Sophie
          Washington DC, 10th May.           Ainsworth (RAiISE) also present.    “vision for lupus” report:
          Once again, this special day was marked  luPus eurOPe:                 GSK combined with the World Lupus
                                                                                 Federation to produce the Report, launched
          around the world with many national  work Groups:                      10th May. Many lupus patients worldwide
          groups organising events. Examples                                     had responded to the call to complete a
          included; lupus Alert, mauritius went ‘live’  The five Work Groups, established 2018,
          on radio and held an Information Day: The  are working on a number of projects. In some  short on-line survey. The Report can be
          voice of lupus Foundation, Trinidad &  instances, the Groups are being enlarged by  found at: www.lupusuk.org.uk/a-vision-
                                                                                 for-lupus-report/
          Tobago: President, Reeanna Erani Harrilal  new members responding to calls for
          was interviewed ‘live’ on TV and radio. The  interested/qualified people with lupus.  For information on the World Lupus
          annual candlelight vigil at Port of Spain  website:                    Federation visit: www.worldlupusfed-
          attracted a large crowd with PoP (Put on                               eration.org
          Purple) being very visible. The strap line  The new website is now up and running and
          “There’s US in LUPUS” was also used  a vast improvement from the previous  Important events on the horizon are:
          extensively: sle DK: The Lupus Group of  website, visit: www.lupus-europe.org  ACR Annual Meeting - Atlanta, Georgia,
          Denmark launched a new website and held  blog:
                                                                                 USA - 8-13 November 2019
          several information meetings: The lupus
          Foundation of bangladesh: held a WLD  The Blog has now migrated to the new  LUPUS EUROPE Convention - Liverpool, UK
          Convention with a panel of lupus specialists  website and can be found at: www.lupus-  - 22-25 November 2019
          in a beautifully decorated hall: Gruppo  europe.org/blog/              12th European Lupus Meeting/SLEuro
          les Young (lupus Italy): The Young Lupus  The old LUPUS EUROPE Blog has been  Conference - Bruges, Belgium - 25-28
          Group organised an on-line collage of  deactivated. If you were registered to  March 2020
          photos to promote #CrepiIlLupus: Lupus  receive an e-mail for new posts on the old  Yvonne Norton - UK Representative
          Cyprus, Hungarian Lupus Group,     blog, your address has also been migrated.
          Portuguese Lupus Group: All held
          information events with lupus specialists  webinar:                     EULAR   - European League against
          speaking.                          The first webinar was used 5th March. This   Rheumatism
          Most member countries of LUPUS EUROPE,  was a catch-up session to help reduce the  ACR       - American College of
                                                                                           Rheumatology
          along with other World Lupus Groups,  gap between Annual LUPUS EUROPE
          organised Awareness/Information events on  Conventions and keep members in touch  LFA        - Lupus Foundation of America
          or around 10th May. Almost all were  with events taking place.          GSK       - GlaxoSmithKline
          prolific on Facebook/Twitter.      The next webinar planned for 5th
          The World Lupus Day website:       September 2019 will be a "General
          www.worldlupusday.org was updated  information and interaction webinar".
          with international news.           All are welcome to participate; it is
                                             necessary to have ZOOM installed on the
          eulAr 2019:                        device being used.
          This year Eular was held at Feria de
          Madrid, 12-15 June, with in excess of  Convention 2019:
          14,000 delegates. As usual, LUPUS  The Lupus Europe Convention will take
          EUROPE had an information booth in the  place in Liverpool, 22-25 November when
          Eular Village which was also used as a  the theme will be  “Education to Empower”.

          Join the LUPUS UK Online Forum                                        The forum is home to a very friendly and

                                                                                supportive community which actively welcomes
          LUPUS UK continues to hosts an online                                 new members and provides helpful responses
          community forum with HealthUnlocked                                   to people’s questions. Members enjoy being
          www.healthunlocked.com/lupusuk.                                       able to share their experiences and questions
          HealthUnlocked is a social network for health.                        anonymously (something that is more difficult
          It allows you to find others with similar health                      on Facebook), with people who understand
          backgrounds to help you take on day-to-day                            what they are going through. Many members
          health concerns together. The LUPUS UK                                have commented on how it is really reassuring
          community has now been running for over                               to be able to talk to people going through
          five years and is host to thousands of           268C                 the same experiences; it leaves them feeling
          members who are affected by lupus.                                    a lot less alone.
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                                                                                   luPus uK NEWS & VIEWS SUMMER 2019
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