Attention Peoria!  You're invited to join us for the Lupus Awareness Month Proclamation at the City Council Meeting on May 28th.  The meeting is at City Hall (419 Fulton St., Peoria, PeoriaIL).  Doors open at 5:30 and the meeting begins at 6pm  Questions? Contact Mary at mary@lupusil.org or call 312-542-0002.

Lupus Awareness Month

Lupus Awareness Month is the time of year when the lupus community takes time to educate their families, workplaces and neighborhoods about lupus.  Education can be as modest as sending an email to your friends and family about lupus to organizing a Lupus Awareness Day at your office.  We encourage you to get creative as you raise awareness about this often misunderstood disease.

Please let us know what you're up to - you may inspire others in the lupus community to take action!  Email mary@lupusil.org or call Mary at 312-648-6053. 

Increase Lupus Awareness - We Can Help!

Pass a Lupus Awareness Month Proclamation in your community government! 

Change your Facebook status to "LUPUS AWARENESS!"

Hang a Lupus Awareness poster in your front window or at your workstation! 

Hand out Lupus Awareness Month stickers to everyone you see!

Wear your purple wristband every day in May! Share a lupus fact a day on Facebook

Host a "Jeans Day" at work benefiting the LSI and hand out a lupus bookmark to everyone who participates. 

Post Lupus Awareness Month ad in the your building's elevator (contact LSI for artwork - here's an example)

Take an "I fight for lupus because" selfie! 

Walk with us at an Illinois Lupus Walk!

Upcoming Events!

June 1
Southern Suburbs Illinois Lupus Walk!
Prairie State College, Chicago Heights
9am-Registration
10am-Walk steps off
More and register

Community Activities

May 26, 2019
MB Financial's Bike the Drive

Raise awareness about lupus and funds for the LSI's mission by participating in this quintessentially Chicago event!  
​More and Register

May 28, 2019
Lupus Table - State Capital

Thanks to Patricia Canessa, PhD, a table with lupus information will be in the rotunda of the Illinois Capital from 10am-2pm!

May 28, 2019
Peoria Proclamation Presentation

Thanks to Melodi Green for facilitating the Lupus Awareness Month Proclamation in Peoria!  The public is welcome at City Hall!  Contact Mary for more information.

May 30, 2019
Spencer Crossing Elementary School Lupus Fundraiser for Team Gayla's Gang!
May 30, 2019
4:30pm - 8:30pm
Chicago Dough in New Lenox, IL 
There will be an amazing raffle and a percent of the buffet will be donated to LSI!

Thank You!

Increasing awareness about lupus comes in many forms.  Thanks to everyone who creates awareness in their own community!

Mary, Nia, Jolly

Plainfield Middle School Event

Mike Rakoczy's 6th Grade Class

Spencer Middle School Presentation

Bettie Carter's Purple Buildings

Purple Skyline thanks to Bettie Carter!

Donna Emory working a health fair

Donna Emory at a health fair

Kay Mimms 
Kay Mimms, author of Fighting Lupus Battles: Hope for a Cure, has blitzed her community with lupus information!  Some of the activities Kay, with assistance from Dr. Patricia Canessa,  has coordinated include a posting at Northwestern's University Intercampus Network, reaching 2,000 people, distributed lupus materials at New Faith Baptist Church in Matteson, Beardstown African Traditional Baptist Church and Trinity United Church of Christ - to name just a few.  Thank you Kay and Patricia for all of your hard work!

Tara & Josh Joseph
Where: Prairie House Tavern
What: Fundraiser benefiting LSI
Around 50 people learned about lupus and raised funds for LSI.  25% of the proceeds from dinner will be donated to LSI!

Bettie Carter
What: Buildings Go Purple on World Lupus Day
          Radio Interview
          Windy City Live

On May 10th, Bettie coordinated several buildings in downtown Chicago lighting up purple!  see the pics here!

On May 5th Bettie was on 106.3FM  Radio show between 2 and 3pm with AC Green talking about Lupus and the upcoming events. His radio show is heard mostly in all the states.
 
One May 7th, Bettie and 34 people from the lupus community were in the audience for Windy City Live and Lupus Awareness Month was mentioned!

Middle School Presentation

On May 3rd LSI joined Dr. Meenakshi Jolly for a presentation to middle school children in Plainfield! Thanks to Middle School student, Nia, for making this happen!

Mike Rakoczy's 6th Grade Lupus Education Event

On May 10th, LSI spoke at Spencer Crossing Elementary School in New Lenox, IL.  About 150 students heard about lupus and asked some terrific questions about the disease.  Mike is a teacher and his commitment to lupus runs deep - his mother Gayla passed away from the disease.  Every year, Mike and his sister Jenny, also a teacher, captain a team at an Illinois Lupus Walk.  This year, they are the Walk Ambassadors for the Southern Suburbs Lupus Walk on June 1st.  As team captains, Mike and Jenny host a fundraiser at Chicago Pizza Dough - this year's event is on May 30th (see above for details).  Thanks Mike and Jenny!

Lupus Charity Runners Team in the Chicago Spring Half Marathon & 10K!
Congratulations to our runners who raised awareness and funds for the LSI on May 19, 2019!
For more information on Lupus Charity Runners click here.

Meaghan Fox & her Lupus Awareness Table, Raffle, Giveaways, and Celebration!
Walgreen's
11981 West 143rd Street
Orland Park ILLINOIS 60462
(At the corner of 143rd Street & Will-Cook Road)

LSI Associate Board presents A Night with Jackie Fabulous!
Zanies Comedy Club
1548 N Wells Street
Chicago, IL, 60610

2019 Northern Suburbs Lupus Walk

Thanks to everyone who came out for the 12th Annual Northern Suburbs Lupus Walk!  Check out the photos here!

Share Your Pictures!

Post to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using #LAM2019LSI or email mary@lupusil.org!

Check out the Lupus Awareness Month photos on Flickr! (click image)

Follow Us

We promised BIG THINGS this Lupus Awareness Month - what's bigger than a new website!

Check out our awesome new site - still at www.lupusil.org - and let us know what you think!

Lupus Society of Illinois
411 S Wells St, Ste 503 | Chicago, Illinois 60607
312.542.0002 | mary@lupusil.org

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