The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA), founded in 1977, is a national voluntary health organization based in

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, with a network of chapters, offices and support groups located in communities throughout the United States. The Foundation is devoted to solving the mystery of

lupus Lupus, technically known as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in many parts of the body. Symptoms vary among people and may be mild to severe. Comm ...

. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus through programs of research, education, support and

advocacy Advocacy is an Action (philosophy), activity by an individual or advocacy group, group that aims to influence decision making, decisions within political, economic, and social institutions. Advocacy includes activities and publications to infl ...

. The Lupus Foundation of America is a charitable organization with tax-exempt status granted under Section

501(c)(3) A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 50 ...

of the

Internal Revenue Code The Internal Revenue Code (IRC), formally the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, is the domestic portion of federal statutory tax law in the United States, published in various volumes of the United States Statutes at Large, and separately as Title 26 ...

. The foundation is a BBB Accredited Charity and highly rated by

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Research

The LFA's national research program is focused on identifying the causes of lupus, accelerating development of new treatments and finding cures. It employs a three-pronged approach to advancing the science and medicine of lupus: lead efforts to improve lives today and find cures, fund direct grants to researchers in medical institutions across the U.S. to advance the lupus research field, and advocate for new money and expanded resources from the biggest funders in research: the federal government and the

pharmaceutical A medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy (pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the medical field and re ...

and

biotech Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used b ...

industry. The LFA's Center for Clinical Trials Education also provides a comprehensive search tool for clinical trials, points to consider before participating in a clinical trial and a guide to clinical research terms. LFA's direct grant programs, combined with their advocacy efforts, have led to a total investment of $80 million for lupus research and education.

Education and support

LFA provides answers to questions and gives caring support to people with lupus and their loved ones. The organization works with lupus experts to answer questions, provide tools, resources and referrals to doctors who treat lupus, and help guide all those affected by lupus toward a better quality of life. In 2016, LFA conducted a National Needs Assessment on Lupus to take a broad, yet in-depth look at the very specific needs and wants of the diverse lupus patient, caregiver and health care professional communities. In response, the Foundation created the National Resource Center on Lupus. The National Resource Center on Lupus aims to connect, empower and educate those whose lives are impacted by lupus by providing trustworthy, reliable and high-quality resources, programs and emotional support services. LFA also developed more than 600 medically-reviewed resources in English and Spanish about all aspects of lupus. New content is added on a regular basis developed in response to the needs of the lupus community, including specialized content for children and teens with lupus. Through their National Health Educator Call Center and programs conducted by their National Network, the organization provides direct education, support and referrals for more than 40,000 people. They also provide information to nearly 9 million people through their website annually.

Advocacy

The Lupus Foundation of America and its network of lupus activists across the country have worked diligently to stimulate more than $66 million in federal and state funds for lupus research and education programs. The organization works daily with the United States Congress, federal government agencies and state legislatures to make biomedical research and innovation for lupus a priority. LFA's activists successfully stimulated more than $90 million in new funding for lupus research and education programs since 2004. The Foundation stimulated $28 in federal lupus research and education for every $1 invested in advocacy.

Awareness

LFA's signature fundraising program, ''Walk to End Lupus Now'', has events in more than 60 communities and 70,000 participants, generating visibility, public understanding and support for people with lupus. Money raised is used to support lupus research, education and advocacy programs that serve to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus. LFA's multi-media campaign, KNOW LUPUS, continues to educate people about lupus and its impact, has resulted in more than $31 million in donated media and 839 million impressions.

References

External links

The Lupus Foundation of America's Website

The Lupus Foundation of America's National Resource Center on Lupus
{{Authority control Lupus organizations Health charities in the United States Organizations established in 1977 Medical and health organizations based in Washington, D.C.