Newsletter August 20. 2013 -

August 20, 2013   What percent of people with lupus will develop lupus nephritis within 10 years of their lupus diagnosis? Guide to Reduce Health Care Costs Medical costs tend to be very expensive especially for people with lupus who need to see several doctors every year. But there are ways to help people with lupus reduce their health care costs. Learn more about the different ways you can potentially lower your health care costs. READ MORE  Guest Column: Back to School with Sodium Girl It's August, and that means it's time for parents and children to get ready to go back to school and start their back to school shopping. But don't forget to approach your health and medical needs with the same diligence as the rest of your back to school preparations.This month Jessica Goldman, also known as sodium girl, talks about important back to school preparations for parents of children with lupus. READ MORE    Nick Cannon's Fight Against Lupus Lupus can affect men, women, children, and even celebrities like Nick Cannon. In this new interview, Cannon talks openly about his diagnosis in 2012 and how he balances his thriving careers as an entertainer and entrepreneur while living with lupus. Learn more in the summer issue of Lupus Now® magazine. READ MORE  Featured Events Research Lupus Living Next stop on the Help Us Solve the Cruel Mystery™National Tour is:  September 7, 2013 Lupus: Learning and Living - Boston Join us at our educational program for individuals with lupus and their families. Register Today  September 7, 2013 Lupus CME - Boston, MA For health professionals, this program features leading researchers and clinicians in the field of lupus who will discuss the advances in management and treatment of lupus. Register Today  For a full list of tour dates, please visit cruelmystery.org  Various Dates Walk to End Lupus Now™ Find a Walk     Find an event near you through your local Lupus Foundation of America chapter. Click here to locate your local chapter. Pilot Study Sheds Light on a Potential New Approach for Treating Lupus Nephritis Treatment of lupus nephritis often includes oral steroids in combination with other medications, taken chronically. But a new study conducted by Dr. Liz Lightstone suggests that it may be possible to avoid long-term treatment of lupus nephritis with oral steroids. Read more about how Lightstone's pilot study may affect your lupus nephritis. LEARN MORE  FDA's BeSafeRx Targets Online Pharmacies The U.S. Food and Drug Administration launched a national campaign to raise public awareness about fraudulent Internet pharmacies and to help consumers make safe purchases. Read more to learn how to keep your pharmacy purchases safe. READ MORE  Wellness Walk Get the Most Out of Your Meds A lupus diagnosis often requires people to take several medications every day, and it is critical to take each medication properly to avoid any other complications. Read stories from people with lupus about how taking their medication correctly positively benefited their lives. LEARN MORE Prepare for Fall Walk Season Fall walk season is here! The Lupus Foundation of America's Walk to End Lupus Now™ events are held in several communities across the country. Every step you take and every dollar you raise supports the Foundation and its efforts to solve the cruel mystery of lupus. Find a walk in a community near you today. LEARN MORE    Help Us Solve the Cruel Mystery™ Despite advances in treatment, some people with lupus nephritis continue to have progressive loss of kidney function. Researchers must determine the underlying causes of this life-threatening form of lupus to improve treatment and health outcomes. The Lupus Foundation of America is stepping up its efforts to support studies in this urgent area of lupus research.  Help us continue the momentum.  Please give today.   Between 50 and 60 percent of people with lupus will develop lupus nephritis within 10 years of their lupus diagnosis. Learn more about lupus nephritis.