September 14, 2015

Coming Up at LFNC

LUPUS CONFERENCE WITH CEU CREDIT FOR RNs: Our Fall Lupus Mini-Conference will be held on Saturday, Dec. 5 at St. Joseph Medical Center in Stockton. Fees: Credit attendees $50, all others $30; $10 discount for LFNC members. No one turned away for lack of funds, but registration is required. See details and register here.

Marin Support Group Meeting: Sat, 9/19 at 30 No. San Pedro Rd, San Rafael, CA, Main Conference Room. Contact: Marilyn Wedner mwedner@att.net

Bakesfield Support Group Meeting: New Support Group has formed in Bakesfield and first meeting is on Thursday, Oct 6, at 6:30 pm. Location: Valley Baptist Church at 4800 Fruitvale Ave, Bakersfield, Calif. Contact: Linda Kreick, (661) 331-6379.

Make the Lupus Buddy Program Catch Fire

The Lupus Buddy Program - the first of its kind in lupus - is not even a month old (we launched it on July 15), and we already have almost 50 people signed up! Now that's something.

The interest in the program launched by the LFNC working with a volunteer coordinator tells us how valuable patients are finding it - not just in northern California but across the country. And although we couldn't be happier to see it take off among patients, one thing is holding us back from much broader outreach, recruitment and expansion: Funding.

You can solve that problem. Give just $25 (more if you can), then share our funding page with all your friends on your social networks. Donate now.

We started with a small seed funding from GSK, but we need to raise $10,000 more to help lupus patients from sea to shining sea. Why? We need time from program coordinators to match the patients, for orientation, for follow-up, for helping each pair of buddies at every stage. Give now, share and make it catch fire.

If you are a patient interested in the program, learn more, and sign up here. A program coordinator will be in touch with you. Any personal and medical information necessary to make the matches are treated with the highest degree of confidentiality.

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Urge Gov. Brown to Sign "Fail First" Reform and Put Patients First

The LFNC is happy to report that the California State legislature has sent to Gov. Brown's desk legislation reforming "Fail First" medicine. What is "fail first"? Some insurance plans refuse to pay for treatments or medications doctors think are necessary for a patient simply because they consider it too expensive. Instead, they require the patient to try up to 5 less expensive treatments and only when those fail will they approve treatment the patient needs.

AB 347 would reform this practice and allow doctors to override this practice for treatment they deem medically appropriate for patients.

Please ask Gov. Brown to sign this bill.

Lupus patients - who wait on average anywhere from 4-6 years just to be diagnosed cannot afford to "fail first." Patient access to needed treatment without delay is critical to the lupus community.

Read more about the legislative effort, and LFNC's support, here.

More than Half Way There! Don't Miss Your Chance at a New Mercedes

One great cause. One beauty of a sedan.

600 tickets total will be sold, and we're more than half way through!

Win a Mercedes CLA-250, or $25,000 in cash.

Want it? Get in fast before all 600 tickets sell out!

Tickets: $75 per entry. $200 for three (3) or $300 for five (5)

Call us at (408) 954-8600 for the fastest way to buy your tickets or complete this form and mail or fax it to us. Remember, the more tickets you buy, the better your chances!

When is the giveaway?

As soon as the 600th ticket is sold!

LFNC is an active partner in

Information contained in this e-Newsletter should not be considered a substitute for professional diagnosis, treatment or management of S.L.E. and symptoms by a physician.

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Editor: Spandan Chakrabarti