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Hey friends! It's that time of year again! I feel like many of you already know, but for those of you who don’t, I have Lupus. I was diagnosed with Lupus in 2008 while in college. What is Lupus? Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body including skin, joints and/or internal organs. In Lupus, something goes wrong with the immune system, which is the part of the body that fights off viruses, bacteria, and germs. "Autoimmunity" means your immune system cannot tell the difference between these foreign invaders and your body’s healthy tissues. As a result, it creates autoantibodies that attack and destroy healthy tissue. These autoantibodies cause inflammation, pain, and damage in various parts of the body. For me, Lupus affects my joints, especially in my hands, wrists, knees and ankles. Another symptom that I have is Alopecia, which is the partial or complete absence of hair from areas of the body where it normally grows. 

Thankfully, my Lupus has been and is currently MOSTLY mild compared to the debilitating symptoms that others endure. In the last few years, I've had some issues with my kidney function, but luckily I was able to regulate the problems with medication. Between regular visits with my rheumatologist and LOTS of lab work, we've been able to keep everything in check! 

This year is the 24th Anniversary for the Walk to End Lupus Now-Milwaukee and my FOURTEENTH year as a Team Captain. It will take place on the morning of Saturday, May 9th at Hoyt Park in Wauwatosa. If you would like to join my team and walk with me this May OR if you would like to donate to my team, you can do so by clicking the link below! 

https://secure.qgiv.com/event/walktoendlupusnow-milwaukee2026/team/1023507/

Any donations are truly appreciated as I work to beat my fundraising total from last year. 

Thank you all for the support! 

Jen