The rainbow is representative of hope -
after every storm the sun shines thru the rays of color to
promise hope and a new beginning.
The butterfly has been adopted by many lupus organizations
as a symbol of hope. Often one of the distinguishing
characteristics of lupus, which can lead to early diagnosis,
is a butterly-shaped rash over the bridge of the nose and
across the cheeks.
Would you believe that for 50% of Lupus patients, it takes
at least 3 doctors and 4 years to be diagnosed? And, 60% of
all Americans say they know little to nothing about Lupus.
Hope for the Future
With research advances and a better understanding of lupus,
the prognosis for people with lupus today is far brighter
than it was even 20 years ago.
As current research efforts unfold, there is continued hope
for new treatments, improvements in quality of life, and,
ultimately, a way to prevent or cure the disease. The
research efforts of today may yield the answers of tomorrow,
as scientists continue to unravel the mysteries of lupus.
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There are major gaps that exist in our understanding of the
causes and consequences of lupus. To address these gaps, it is
essential that we continue to call upon individuals, corporations,
foundations and federal, state and local governments to greatly
expand their efforts so that those of us with lupus may have hope
that the disease will be brought under control and a cure will be
found.
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