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December 2015
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Serving Indiana
Question
 
 
As a caregiver, how do I handle the unpredictability of lupus?
Scroll down for the answer.  




Dear Friend,
 
How were you connected with our organization and do you remember how you were welcomed?  Was it after receiving a new patient packet after learning of your lupus diagnosis?  Or when your attendance at a support group meeting moved you to attend your first Walk to End Lupus Now to call for a cure for this cruel and mysterious disease?  Or, you may have lost someone special and have donated to ensure that people with lupus feel supported and served.  No matter the experience, we would like to applaud your selflessness in supporting LFA-Indiana;  no matter how or why you support our Chapter, you change lives.
 
LFA-Indiana gives critical education and support across the State of Indiana to many communities. With the help of over 100 volunteers and a dedicated Board of Directors, we are raising awareness and providing helpful information and assistance to people with lupus, and their families and caregivers and medical professionals - all who fight, in various ways, this unpredictable autoimmune disease.
 
Our small staff continues to stretch beyond it size and limits to realize projects ambitious and meaningful. Our goal continues to be to reach as many people as possible with resources and support.  And, 90% of every dollar donated stays here in Indiana to fund local programs and outreach;  Lupus Foundation of America's research initiatives are funded with the remaining 10% of our revenue. With your End-of-Year tax-deductible gift, as generous as possible, you will play your own vital part in meeting the needs of people with lupus in Indiana as well as help find a cure through advancing the science and medicine of lupus. We are very grateful for your help today and every day!
 
Please enjoy this holiday season with friends and family.
 
With gratitude,

   
Morgan E. McGill
CEO
morgan@lupusindiana.org

P.S. - If your gift has crossed in the mail with this request, please accept our sincere thanks.  Your loyalty to LFA-Indiana is truly inspiring!
 

   
Holiday Helpers
For adults with lupus, fatigue and pain can prevent them from celebrating as they once did. But you can help family members with lupus participate in holiday activities-and have fun. Read these tips featured in Lupus Now magazine for ways to make the holidays easier and more fun for all of your loved ones.
Upcoming Events
December 9-10 All Indiana giving day

December 11  Support Group Facilitator Training, Indianapolis

December 15   Support Group Facilitator Training, Crown Point

December 16  'Living with Lupus' Seminar, Evansville


Fundraiser for LFA-Indiana 
January 11  from 4-9 pm  

Punch Burger, Carmel location only  
will donate a percentage of all sales (excluding sales tax) generated that evening to LFA-Indiana! This program supports our community outreach efforts. If you can't make it there, we are told that to-go orders qualify too- just be sure to mention or show this ad upon pick-up:




 











Follow us @lfaindiana.
We are 159 followers and growing! Follow us!  

While the 2015 Walk to End Lupus Now™ season has come to an end, we can't wait to launch our 2016 events beginning in January. Keep an eye on this space for the latest updates and visit walktoendlupusnow.org 


Research


Dr. Mariana Kaplan Discusses her Research into Heart Disease in People with Lupus
 
Dr. Mariana J. Kaplan received the 2015 Evelyn V. Hess Award from the Lupus Foundation of America in recognition of her achievements in lupus research. In this video, she discusses the important work she is doing to understand the role inflammation plays in causing premature cardiovascular disease in people with lupus, and the role of a specific white blood cell in the causes and progression of lupus.



Grocery Shopping? 

LFA-IN now partners with Kroger in its Community Rewards program. Enroll by linking your Kroger plus card to the Lupus Foundation of America-Indiana Chapter at
www.krogercommunityrewards.com
Seeking Dedicated Volunteers
It's not too late to sign up for one of the following lupus support group facilitator training session scheduled in December:
Indianapolis - Fri., Dec. 11, 11:00 am-3:00 pm
Crown Point - Tue., Dec. 15, 10:30 am-2:30 pm
We are seeking dedicated volunteers who would be interested in becoming co-facilitators for existing support groups in Bloomington, West Lafayette and Valparaiso.
We are also in search of facilitators to start new support groups in Evansville, Kokomo and southeastern Indiana.
A passion to serve and modest time commitment are necessary.  Please view the Facilitator Role Descriptionfor additional 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. 
We hope that you or someone you know might be interested in volunteering for this important role in meeting support needs for people whose lives are impacted by lupus.
 
Interested candidates should contact Debbie Campbell via email at debbie@lupusindiana.org.  
Jessica Kundapur & Jodie Young: How to be Fabulupus

Fabulupus is the latest book to receive the Lupus Foundation of America seal of approval. Written by Jessica Kundapur and Jodie Young, the book is a guide to living well and being successful as a young adult with lupus. Using their personal experiences of navigating young adulthood while dealing with lupus, Jessica and Jodie provide tips and tricks for dealing with friends, family, finances, planning a career, maintaining a social life and more. We talked to them to find out more about their motivations for writing the book.
READ MORE
'Living with Lupus' Seminar in Evansville
 We hope you will join us for the following educational ' Living with Lupus' seminar being held in your area:

Date: Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Time: 6:00-8:15 PM (check-in is from 5:30-6:00 and light snacks will be available)
Location: Deaconess Hospital, Health Sciences Building, Johnson Hall., 600 Edgar St., Evansville, IN 47710

Registration is required and there is a $10 registration fee. However, the registration fee will be refunded at check-in. Please register at http://IndianaLFA.kintera.org/2015EvansvilleSeminar or call 800.948.8806.
More than 90% of people with lupus will experience joint and/or muscle pain related to their lupus. Dr. Mujtaba Tapal (Rheumatologist) will be the featured speaker at the seminar and will be talking about managing chronic pain associated with lupus. Kathy Uebelhor, registered yoga teacher, and John Hufstedler, certified tai chi instructor, will be leading the group in a combination yoga/tai chi session. But don't let the word 'yoga' scare you! This will be a seated and chair-supported session that all attendees should be able to participate in, regardless of their level of mobility.
Hospital Security is available upon request to pick up seminar attendees in the parking lot and garage. Attendees can call 812.450.7550 and request that the van pick them up. Security will also be watching the parking lot and garage for people needing a ride to the Health Sciences Building.
For a downloadable flyer, please visit our website at http://www.lupus.org/indiana/events/entry/living-with-lupus-seminar-in-Evansville.
All lupus patients, caregivers, family, friends, and healthcare professionals interested in learning more about the disease of lupus are invited to attend.



Promising New Lupus Therapies and Insights into Environmental Triggers
In this month's expert column, Lupus Foundation of America Research Program Manager Anita Roach, highlights research in lupus that was recently presented at the American College of Rheumatology's 2015 Annual Scientific Meeting. Click below to learn about promising new treatments in lupus as well as new insights into the environmental aspects of lupus development and progression.
 

 
Answer
Due to the unpredictable nature of lupus, you may need to adjust your responsibilities and priorities at times. Neither you nor your loved one with lupus should feel guilty about these disruptions to activities that you cannot control, but it is important to find strategies to cope. In order to prepare for unpredictability it is important to build a contingency plan in addition to communication, smart planning and strong disease management skillsLearn more.
If you're shopping online, don't forget that a portion of your purchase will benefit LFA Indiana Chapter when you shop using the links below:

Give Back While You Shop
 
Lupus Foundation of America, Indiana Chapter | 800.948.8806 | morgan@lupusindiana.org | http://www.lupus.org/indiana
9302 N. Meridian St., Ste. 203
Indianapolis, IN 46260