November 2, 2015
Coming Up at LFNC

FREE PATIENT EDUCATION CLASS: Saturday, Nov. 7, 11 am. Register here. For newly diagnosed and other patients and loved ones looking to learn about lupus and how to manage your condition. Call 408-954-8600 if you have questions.
Get $50, Give $25 to Participate in Lupus Study

Bay area residents: Make a difference in 30 minutes!

Help advance research for new lupus treatments by donating a sample of blood from the comfort of your home with Sanguine. When you donate, Sanguine Biosciences will give you $50 for your time and donate $20 to a charity of your choice, like the LFNC.

Click here to sign up or call 818-804-2462.
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 60 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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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
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Lupus Mini-Conference with Credit for Nurses Coming to Stockton
 
miniconference

LFNC's Fall 2015 Lupus Mini-Conference will be headlined by Dr. C. Michael Neuwelt, and held from 11 am to 4 pm on December 5, 2015 at the St. Joseph's Medical Center in Stockton, CA. Our conferences are designed to benefit patients, friends and family and medical professionals alike, and are certified by the California Nursing Board to grant CEU credits to attending California RNs.

Registration fees: $50 for credit attendees, $30 for others. No one will be turned away for inability to pay. Current LFNC members receive a discount of $10 on either registration. Registration is required.

You may register online on our website, or download a registration form mail or fax it to us. Please call us at (408) 954-8600 to register by phone or if you need a fee waiver.

Vaccines and Lupus: The Flu Season



Vaccines are in essence dead or live virus introduced to the body in very small amounts so that the body's immune system can overwhelm it and build immunity in the process. But because the immune system itself is at risk for lupus patients of over-reacting and attacking the body, confusion about vaccines abound. Especially now that flu season is upon us, a lot of patients are asking, Should I get a flu shot?

The most accurate answer is, you should speak to your doctor. But the general answer is that it is considered medically safe for lupus patients to be vaccinated, but without any live virus.

MedPage Today has the bottom lines on the flu and Pneumococcal vaccines for lupus patients.

For the flu vaccine:

The bottom line is, while the rates of seroconversion and seroprotection are lower than healthy controls, vaccinating with non-adjuvant flu vaccines is safe in patients with SLE and should be undertaken regardless of disease activity and degree of immunosuppression (avoid live vaccines in those who have contraindications, e.g., patients with prednisone > 20 mg/day, or on biologics)

For the Pneumococcal vaccine:

The bottom line: Patients with SLE should be vaccinated with the pneumococcal vaccine.

Once again, we remind you that it is always advisable to speak to your physician about your particular condition and your vaccination needs. Read more about the general recommendations provided by MedPage Today here.
LESS THAN 200 Tickets Left!


One great cause. One beauty of a sedan.

 

Less than 200 left, out of a total of 600. Get yours now!



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!