Lupus Ontario
Working together to conquer lupus
|
Lupus Ontario Working together to conquer lupus |
|
|
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease of limited awareness in Canada. It is not a rare disease and is estimated to affect more than 50,000 Canadians. Its symptoms mimic other illnesses, are varied and complex, and can strike any tissue or organ in the body. Common symptoms of lupus include skin rashes, sun sensitivity, joint pain, extreme fatigue, fever, chest pain and seizures. Endorsed by the Canadian Medical Association, the recently released book, Lupus, The Disease with a Thousand Faces is a very important resource for people living with lupus, especially due to a limited availability of Canadian information about the disease. Lupus Canada worked in partnership with publisher, Key Porter Books, Dr. Jean-Luc Senécal and Dr. Sasha Bernatsky to fulfill the need for a widely available, up to date guide for those diagnosed with lupus, their caregivers, friends and families. “Lupus Canada is very proud of its role in making this book a reality. Eighteen years ago there wasn’t a national body to represent the lupus community. Now, Lupus Canada and its member organizations across the country support hundreds of people affected by lupus, every day by providing vital information and support.” says, Judi Farrell, Chief Operating Officer. Lupus Canada offers an informative website www.lupuscanada.org, a public information line 1(800) 661-1468, an advocacy kit, brochures and referral to local support networks. “This book will become an important tool in understanding and managing lupus”, says Farrell. “It will educate readers about lupus; its symptoms and treatment. Proceeds help to raise funds to support lupus research and the development of further resources that could greatly enhance the quality of life of someone living with lupus”. Education along with effective treatment can minimize lupus symptoms, reduce inflammation, and improve the overall quality of life. The cost of the book is $19.95. For more information or to purchase a copy of Lupus the Disease with a Thousand Faces, please contact Lupus Canada at 1(800) 661-1468, or by e-mail, lupuscanada@bellnet.ca. |
|
Living
to 100: Lessons in Living to by Thomas T.
Perls, MD, MPH |
Special
thanks to LUPUS WORLD
and Henrietta Aladjem for this article
|
Centenarians, one considered a rarity, are the nation’s fastest-growing age group: there are currently about 50,000 people over the age of 100 in the United States today, almost three times as many as there were in 1980. What can we learn from these pioneers? How can people decades younger apply the centenarians’ longevity lessons to their own lives? These are the questions Harvard Scientists Thomas Perls and Margery Hutter Silver set out to answer when they launched the New England Centenarian Study (NECS). The authors have studied more than one hundred centenarians, interviewing them in their homes, scrutinizing their family tree, assessing their physical and mental health. Now the results of the NECS--widely hailed in the scientific and medical press--are available for the first time to readers everywhere. As they probed beyond disease to identify the parameters of an energetic later life, Perls and Silver realized that the day to preserving health and vitality lies not in learning how people stay young, but in understanding how they age well. By identifying lifestyle patterns. vitamins, and medications that contribute to aging well--and may even help slow down the aging process--they show how al of us can maximize the healthy portion of the lifespan. A sample of their groundbreaking, longevity-boosting news: ° In contrast to reports in the popular press, genes do matter--but each of us can develop ways of taking advantage of the genes most of us have and compensating for those we lack. ° Growing evidence suggests that learning new skills can actually renew or extend the life of brain cells. ° Within everyone’s reach: the stress-resistant mindset known as the Centenarian Lifestyle. Working with Lupus World associate editor John F. Lauerman, the authors have filled the book with personal profiles, informational sidebars, and quizzes, including a Life Expectancy Calculator. Living to 100 offers inspiration and solid scientific information to the more that 75 million people alive today who can look forward to their ninth and tenth decades. Making Sense of Fibromyalgia A Guide for Patients and Their Families Daniel J. Wallace, MD Author of "The Lupus Book" Janice Brock Wallace The Challenges of Lupus: Insights & Hope By the Lupus Foundation of New Hampshire, Inc. We are pleased to inform you that Henrietta Aladjem (Mother Lupus) has just published her latest book. It is sound, helpful information for individuals, their families, their physicians that live with lupus. It is an informative and inspirational
book. This publication contains information about many aspects
of the condition - from personal accounts, to how it affects
pregnancy, to its psychological ramifications. With a forward
written by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Donna
Shalala and insightful contributions and a comprehensive reference,
as well as a source of hope. By Avery Publishers |
Meet Jane. Jane has just turned twenty-six years old. She has a good job and has recently been promoted. In the past few weeks, Jan has noticed a rash across her face in the shape of a butterfly. In the past ten months, she has suffered from constant headaches, hair loss, sore joints, and chronic fatigue. Jane just visited a rheumatologist for a check-up. She has been diagnosed with lupus. Jane’s story is not uncommon.
It is estimated that 1 to 2 million Americans have lupus. Yet
it remains a puzzling disease, as frequently misdiagnosed by
physicians as it is misunderstood by patients. Patients diagnosed
with lupus or suspected of having it often do not know what to
expect, do not understand the procedures they must undergo, and
do not understand what is happening in their bodies, so they
cannot participate in heir won health care. With a forward by Donna Shalala, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, The Challenges of Lupus will help you and your family clearly understand and successfully manage the many challenges that lie ahead. The Challenges of Lupus: Insights & Hope By Publishers Weekly Lupus patient Henrietta Aladjem incorporates advice from medical experts and practitioners and patients to present a rounded picture of the autoimmune disease, how it works and how one can cope and learn to live with it. Includes a glossary and list of national and regional organizations. Aladjem, Henrietta and Others The Challenges of Lupus: Insights and Hope By Booklist - William Beatty Aladjem has had lupus for 40 years. Here she gathers articles by medical authorities on the widely varies aspects of the distressing, occasionally fatal disease, and her own writings presenting the patient’s perspective. The contributors show clearly how the disease affects different age groups, pregnant women, and those with medical problems. Despite lupus’ clinical history of flare-ups and remissions, many patients can lead normal or nearly normal lives. Especially because of visible rashes, recurring symptoms such as fatigue, and occasional neuropsychiatric difficulties, lupus can provoke job discrimination and troubles in family and social relationships. The contributors also dispel myths, such as that lupus is contagious or sexually transmitted. Steven Kingsbury, a physician contributor who has multiple sclerosis, pertinently opines that "calling people with chronic disease courageous is . . . pretty stupid" and we all play the card dealt to us. An appealing, practical book on the subject. |
| Home |