UR Medicine Experts Host Lupus Education Program Oct. 31

People living with lupus and caregivers can learn more about latest therapies and research during UR Medicine’s ninth annual Lupus Education Day from noon to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at Helen Wood Hall, 255 Crittenden Blvd.

“This educational and networking opportunity is one that our patients look forward to every year,” said Jennifer Anolik, M.D., Ph.D., director of UR Medicine’s Lupus Clinic, which is nationally recognized for clinical expertise and research. Anolik works with R. John Looney, M.D., an adult rheumatologist as well as an adult and pediatric allergist and clinical immunologist.

Topics include breakthroughs in lupus research and care, clinical trials, nutrition, coping strategies and early signs of lupus and prevention. There will also be a patient/family panel discussion.

Registration for the free event is required; call Joy Gangross at (585) 275-2891.

Lupus is an autoimmune disorder that can vary from a mild condition to a life-threatening illness. It can cause joints to swell and attack the kidneys, heart, lungs and liver, leading to pain, dysfunction, and sometimes permanent damage to healthy tissues.

More than 1.5 million Americans suffer with the potentially fatal disease. About 90 percent of patients are women who were diagnosed during their childbearing years. The disease can be a challenge to diagnose, but detecting it early is essential to minimize damage to the organs and improve quality of life.

Most people with lupus can control the disease with medication and consistent monitoring by physicians. A smaller set of patients, however, suffer a more extreme disease course, sometimes facing life-threatening problems. 

University of Rochester Medical Centerlupus researchers lead laboratory and translational research programs to advance patient care. The team of scientists and clinicians were recently selected to join the National Institutes of Health Accelerating Medicines Partnership in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus Network. The program is a partnership between the NIH, biopharmaceutical companies, advocacy organizations and academic scientists to more rapidly identify promising drug targets and develop much-needed new treatments for patients with these conditions.

To learn more about UR Medicine’s Lupus Clinic, go to http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/medicine/allergy/patients-families/lupus-clinic.cfm.