November 9, 2015

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.

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

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Study: Patient Education and Support Groups Have Positive Impact on Lupus Patients

The Lupus Foundation of Northern California often brings you news about lupus research. This newsletter follows in that tradition. But today's newsletter is also unique in that tradition.

While we hear about research in medications and medical treatments for lupus, studies about the impact of patient education and support for living with lupus - the core of the reason why LFNC exists - is rare. That's why a new study showing measured positive impact in quality of life for patients who participate in patient education and support group programs validates our purpose:

A study at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) finds that a support group addressing the psychological and educational needs of people with lupus is a valuable resource to help them cope with the disease.

The study, titled, "The SLE Workshop: An Evaluation of a Long-Standing Hospital-Based Psychoeducational Program" will be presented at the American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals annual meeting on November 9 in San Francisco.

The SLE Workshop is a free monthly, hospital-based support group that runs from September through April. Each two-hour session begins with a presentation by an expert on a topic of interest to patients with lupus, followed by a discussion by participants. Hospital for Special Surgery has been offering the program since 1985.

83% of participants reported that the program helped them cope with lupus, and 82% reported a greater ability to manage the disease.

While the study being mentioned didn't track specific LFNC programs, we are proud that three of our programs closely track with key elements of group studied:

Patient Education Classes: LFNC has developed our Patient Education Program closely following curriculum guidance by the American College of Rheumatology.
Lupus Mini-Conferences: Held twice a year (coming up next month - see below), these conferences are headlined by an expert physician or researcher, gives patients the opportunity to interact with professionals, and grants CEU credit to nurses.
Support Groups: Our support groups - and the recently launched Buddy Program - aim to be a safe place for patients to create and broaden their social support network and share their experiences.

Come join us!

Lupus Mini-Conference with Credit for Nurses Coming to Stockton

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.

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!