WORLD LUPUS FEDERATION CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF GLOBAL IMPACT

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Lupus Federation (WLF), co-founded in 2015 by the Lupus Foundation of America and Lupus Europe, is celebrating a decade of remarkable achievements in the fight against lupus. As the only global community organization dedicated to lupus, the WLF unites more than 200 lupus patient advocacy organizations from around the world, amplifying the voices of people living with lupus and driving awareness, research, education, and advocacy. To commemorate its 10-year anniversary, the World Lupus Federation is unveiling a new, modern and vibrant visual identity consisting of a new website and logo.

Lupus is a devastating, chronic autoimmune disease, causing debilitating symptoms, including joint pain that can impair day-to-day functions, extreme fatigue and potentially fatal organ damage. An estimated 5 million people around the world have lupus, which disproportionately affects women and individuals from certain racial and ethnic backgrounds.

In the months leading up to World Lupus Day in May, the Federation will celebrate its anniversary by sharing impact statements, key achievements, and powerful testimonials from lupus warriors and WLF member organizations across its social media channels. The campaign will culminate on World Lupus Day on May 10. Additionally, throughout the year the WLF will use a specialized version of its new logo that incorporates the 10-year anniversary message to commemorate the landmark anniversary.

Since its founding ten years ago, the WLF has transformed the global lupus movement, fostering collaboration across six continents and delivering initiatives that have improved the lives of millions. WLF's annual global patient surveys provide groundbreaking insight into the burden of lupus, advancing the understanding of lupus and highlighting the needs of those affected by this complex and misunderstood disease.

"The World Lupus Federation is truly unique as the only global collaboration of the lupus patient community," said Louise Vetter, President and CEO of the Lupus Foundation of America. "Because of the tireless dedication of lupus warriors worldwide, the WLF is driving awareness of this misunderstood and overlooked disease and providing unique insights that fuel research into new therapies to reduce the burden of lupus."

Additionally, the Federation hosts World Lupus Day on May 10 each year as a global observance and a call to action for lupus warriors. The event spans continents, cultures and languages to make lupus visible by asking everyone touched by lupus to wear purple for the day and share facts about the disease on social media. Together, the WLF and its members serve as a unifying force, mobilizing individuals and organizations to shine a spotlight on lupus and call for greater resources and research funding.

The WLF has also made strides in education and capacity-building, hosting training webinars and presentations on topics such as creating support groups and how to effectively respond to medical inquiries from people living with lupus. Additionally, the Federation serves as an international repository for education resources having translated essential lupus education materials into multiple languages and developed co-branded resources with WLF member organizations to ensure cultural relevance and accessibility.

"Over the past decade, the World Lupus Federation has been a transformative force in the global lupus community," said Amy Somers, board member, Lupus Europe. "Through impactful initiatives like World Lupus Day and groundbreaking global surveys, the Federation has shed light on the challenges patients face, guided advocacy efforts, and brought lupus into the spotlight as a critical public health issue. The Federation's dedication to fostering collaboration, providing resources, and prioritizing patient voices inspires us and strengthens our own work in Europe. Together, we're building a brighter future for people living with lupus worldwide."

While there has been incredible progress over the past decade, there is still much work to be done to ensure that every person living with lupus has access to the care and support they need. As the World Lupus Federation reflects on a decade of impact, it remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing global advocacy, empowering patient organizations, and fostering collaboration to address the unique challenges of lupus. To learn more about the Federation's accomplishments and its vision for the future, read the full blog post celebrating 10 years of impact.

To join the celebration, follow the WLF on X (@wordlupusfed) and Facebook (worldlupusfederation) and help spread the word by re-sharing posts marking this milestone. If your lupus patient advocacy organization is interested in joining the Federation, contact Mike Donnelly at donnelly@lupus.org and Giancarlo Pineiro at pineiro@lupus.org.

About the World Lupus Federation
The World Lupus Federation (WLF) is a coalition of more than 200 lupus patient organizations, united to improve the quality of life for the approximately 5 million people around the world who are affected by lupus. Through coordinated efforts among its members, the Federation works to expand global initiatives that create greater awareness and understanding of lupus, provide education and services to people living with the disease and advocate on their behalf. The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) co-founded the WLF with Lupus Europe in 2015 and the LFA currently serves as the Secretariat of the Federation.

About the Lupus Foundation of America

The Lupus Foundation of America is the national force devoted to solving the mystery of lupus, one of the world's cruelest, most unpredictable, and devastating diseases, while giving caring support to those who suffer from its brutal impact. Through a comprehensive program of research, education, and advocacy, we lead the fight to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus.

About Lupus

Lupus is an unpredictable and misunderstood autoimmune disease that ravages different parts of the body. It is difficult to diagnose, hard to live with, and a challenge to treat. Lupus is a cruel mystery because it is hidden from view and undefined, has a range of symptoms, hits out of nowhere, and has no known cause and no known cure. Its health effects can range from a skin rash to a heart attack. Lupus is debilitating and destructive, and can be fatal, yet research on lupus remains underfunded relative to its scope and devastation.

MEDIA CONTACT
Mike Donnelly
World Lupus Federation
donnelly@lupus.org

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SOURCE World Lupus Federation