2025 Spring Newsletter

Introducing California Lupus Foundation
It is officially Spring and we don't know where the first quarter of 2025 went!!  It could be that we were very busy with some BIG HAPPENINGS! We have exciting news that we have merged with the Lupus Foundation of Southern California to make the California Lupus Foundation!  
This is important for lupus patients throughout the state of California.  Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for lupus patients and their families through awareness, education, and advocacy. We are committed to promoting community awareness and supporting lupus research with the ultimate goal of finding a cure. You can check out our new website at californialupus.org
We will still be offering our Support Groups, Health Conferences and other activities as we normally do  - but as we progress in the merger we hope to add some new programs and activities. While we’ve announced that we are merging, our goal is to be fully merged and operating as one foundation by July 1st.  So be sure to check your emails for the most up to date information.

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10th Annual Purple Ribbon Awards
For 10 years we have been honoring our volunteers, Doctors and other people who help us fulfill our mission.  We had an amazing evening with a full house of lupus patients who were able to join us because of our very generous sponsors, including GSK, Century Therapeutics, Porsche Redwood City and Walmart!  We heard from on of our Honorees, including one of our Support Group Leaders, a Doctor who is a presenter at our Lupus Health Conferences, our longtime supporters, Jay and Sivi Remley about how the LFNC has been a part of their life.  We also heard a moving speech from our 2025 Face of Lupus, Amber Shepherd.   Amber started out using many of our programs and now helps other lupus patients as a Lupus Buddy, on our Patient Panel in the Lupus Health Conferences and has been a lupus Advocate in Washington DC!  We will be posting her speech on our website soon so you can hear how important our programs are to lupus patients and their families! You can see the photos from the evening here. 
Our goal was to raise $100,000 and we came in just a bit shy- so if the LFNC is important to you, please consider making a donation today and help us hit our number!!  You can donate here!

Upcoming events
Our first Lupus Health Conference is scheduled for Saturday, April 26th!  We are excited to welcome a new speaker, Dr. Reejhsinghani from Stanford University School of Medicine. She will be presenting “Managing Cardiovascular Risk in Lupus Patients”. Followed by our Patient Panel discussing their lupus journeys.  Each session will  be followed by a Q & A, and if you have any questions you can send them to us prior to the event at [email protected].

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Register NOW!

UC San Diego Lupus Center: Updates on Lupus Care and Research 
If you are located in the San Diego area don’t miss this important event!  This symposium, we will have lupus specialists in various disciplines offer their expertise and educate the attendees on exciting recent updates and developments in lupus care and research. 
Registration is free for patients, residents, and fellows to attend this course. You will need to register to save your spot.  *Spanish Translation will be available. 

Register Here

We Need Your Input! Do you have topics for our Health Conferences that you would like to hear more about?!  You can also send us suggestions at [email protected], and we will look for a presenter!  We are busy working on a Special Health Conference for May- so be sure to check our website and social media often!

Support Groups 
​Most of our Support Groups are continuing to meet virtually with a couple meeting in person again!  We know that many lupus patients are eager to see each other and have that in person connection and we are excited to have Support Group Leaders who are willing to be there for patients! 

 You can find all of our Support Groups here.  
​Trials and Clinics
We partner with many local and international organizations to make sure we offer useful information to our patients.  Here are a couple that we are happy to share with you. UCSF Researchers at the University of California are looking for better treatment options for young people, ages 5-12, with lupus nephritis. Join the POSTERITY study to find out how you can help. Click here to learn more. 
Queen’s University in Canada is doing a study on Pain Mapping and PsychoSocial Pain.  This study aims to understand the relationship between pain, mood, and beliefs about pain in individuals living with Lupus.
If you are interested in participating in this online research study, please click here. 

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Lupus Awareness Month
May is Lupus Awareness Month and is just around the corner!  We will be sending 2 of our Support Group Leaders to Washington DC to meet with our lawmakers to help them understand the effects of lupus on patients and their families. This is one of the ways we use your donations to make sure we can help lupus patients show how important their support is for lupus research. 
We are excited to kick off Lupus Awareness Month by inviting you to a Coffee and Conversation on Thursday, May 8th from 9am-11am!  Drop by our office and chat with our Executive Director, Tom Bakewell and meet the staff!  Do you have any questions about the California Lupus Organization?  This a perfect opportunity to ask your questions and hear what we have planned moving forward!  Meet other lupus patients and enjoy some coffee and pastries on us!  Invite your friends and family members!  Be sure to RSVP so we have enough coffee!  
Don't miss our new social media graphics and information on how to bring awareness to lupus in your City or County​​​ at the Lupus Awareness page on our website!

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Lupus Awareness Page