The free forum will cover what lupus is, what are the symptoms, how it is diagnosed and more. There will be information tables and light refreshments available as well. The Lupus Alliance of America LIQ Affiliate as well as the SLE Lupus Foundation and Jamaica Hospital Medical Center/Medi SYS Family Health Carte will be panelists at this event.

With the results of a National Poll by the Ad Council showing that only 18% of women are personally concerned about lupus, even though almost 2 Million Americans have lupus, and of that number over 90% are women; awareness about lupus is sorely needed. Senators Huntley and Smith are helping to lead the way with this forum, in order to educate the public on lupus, a disease with no known cure, and more prevalent than MS, Cerebral Palsy, and Muscular Dystrophy combined. Please join us at this free event and receive information on lupus that could save your life. For more information you can contact Lois Menyweather or Patricia Savage at 718-523-3069, or call Silvia Heredia, Community Outreach Coordinator for the Lupus Alliance of LIQ at 516-783-3370.

The Lupus Alliance of LIQ is also sponsoring a free educational session entitled “Lupus and the Kidneys” on Saturday, June 6th from 10:00am-noon at the Janet and John Raggio Nephrology Institute North Shore LIJ Health System, Waldbaum Dialysis Center Building located at 100 Community Drive, 2nd Floor in Great Neck. This Forum will be presented by Barbara Wrynn, RNN, CNN and will include a presentation on the latest Lupus Nephritis Clinical Trials by Rachel Saltzman, Research Coordinator from the Department of Rheumatology and North Shore LIJHS.

This session will provide information about lupus and the kidneys, covering kidney functions, types of kidney disease, laboratory tests used to measure kidney health and ensuing care. From 10:00am – 10:30 am there will be onsite and free microalbuminuria screening – a quick and simple test for detecting protein in the urine. A light breakfast will be served and free parking is available. To register for this free event please call Silvia Heredia at the Lupus Alliance of LIQ at 516-783-3370 or email her at: info@lupusliqueens.org.

May is Lupus Awareness month, and the Lupus Alliance of LIQ is holding these educational events as well as running a fundraising awareness campaign entitled 50 for 50 to help spread public awareness and raise funds that will go directly to helping those in the community whose lives are affected by lupus. It has been 50 years since a new medication has been approved by the FDA for Lupus, and 50 years is too long to wait for progress. To learn how you can get involved, donate, or help spread the word through Facebook, Twitter and more, please call 516-783-3370 or visit the 50 for 50 website.