News from Lupus Foundation of America, Indiana Chapter

Lupus-Foundation-IndianaCheers to Our Volunteers

No non-profit organization can function without a strong band of volunteers. Our success relies on those individuals who give countless hours to the cause of finding a cure for lupus.

April is National Volunteer Month, and we did not want it to slip by without properly noting a huge Thank You to our volunteers, from those who serve on our board to those who handle the most minute details of our events to our support group facilitators. Below you can view a video of our Board President Cindy Rojas -- a shining example of those who lend us a hand.

This year we have many, many opportunities for anyone wanting to volunteer. Don't hesitate to contact me at jan@lupusindiana.org.

Crown Point Kick-Off

The kick-off dinner for the Crown Point Walk to End Lupus Now drew more than 60 walk captains and supporters. The group was inspired by Honorary Chair and Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson as well as a panel of walk captains who shared their success secrets. Register for the Crown Point walk today! And if you missed the event, or need a little inspiration, check out the video!

Support Group and Services - Facilitators Needed!

LFA-Indiana offers 13 support groups throughout the state of Indiana. We are currently in immediate need of co-facilitators for Evansville, West Lafayette and Anderson support groups. We have a training scheduled for April 12! Please contact Debbie Campbell for more information!

The philosophy of LFA support groups is to provide a warm and caring environment where people with lupus, their family members, caregivers, and loved ones can share their experiences, methods of coping, and insights into living with lupus. LFA support groups encourage and accept people as they are and provide a comfortable learning environment to help them develop the best coping strategies to reduce stress that often accompanies living with a chronic illness. The Lupus Foundation of America, Indiana Chapter is fortunate to have professionally-trained volunteers to offer support to lupus patients, friends, and family members throughout the state. For our expanded list of support groups including dates, times and locations, click here.

New Initiative to Improve Health and Quality of Life

The Lupus Foundation of America recently announced that it is funding and leading the development of a first-of-its-kind tool to monitor lupus disease activity called the LFA-REAL™(Rapid Evaluation of Activity in Lupus) System. LFA-REAL will address major challenges in lupus treatment and disease management, and has the potential to greatly improve medical care and quality of life for people living with this unpredictable and misunderstood autoimmune disease.

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Five Tips for Warm-Weather Outdoor Activities

The best part about warm weather is our renewed ability to enjoy outdoor activities. This can be highly beneficial to people with lupus. However, it's best not to jump right into a rigorous exercise program. This is a good time to ease your body into the idea of working out. Lupus patients can and should take part in physical activity. Before doing this, you should discuss with your physician or physical therapist what the best type of exercise will be for you. Whether you are beginning (or renewing) an exercise routine now, or whether you have been working out throughout the year, there are a few key things that all people with lupus should know about exercise. Before heading out the door, remember the following five points. READ MORE