Women In Government Actions
Women In Government has worked to raise awareness of Lupus, and address the issues concerning this difficult disease. At many past conferences and state briefings, speakers have spoken on the debilitating chronic autoimmune disease, the impact that Lupus has on women's health, and the organizations that work to fight Lupus.
Recent Events
August 2011
At the 13th Annual Eastern Regional Conference, Women In Government featured Lupus as a topic. Two presentations were featured to provide a clinical overview of lupus and recent developments in treatment, as well as a follow-up to the Women In Government briefing on lupus held in Maryland. Dr. Susan Manzi presented on her work with Lupus. As she notes, no two patients are alike, making diagnosis extremely difficult. Not only that, but often patients’ symptoms change drastically and require a completely different approach to treatment. Lupus is most frequently seen in minority women which presents even more challenges. Susan Manzi, MD, MPH, is Chair of the Department of Medicine West Penn Allegheny Health System and Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Medicine Temple University School of Medicine. She is also Co-Founder and Director of the Lupus Center of Excellence in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dr. Manzi has been named one of the "Best Doctors in America" and one of the "Best 100 Doctors in Pittsburgh." She is recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in lupus patient care and research, and a pioneer in scientific investigation of cardiovascular disease in patients with lupus. Dr. Manzi has been the recipient of millions of dollars in research funding and she has published over 100 reports of research in lupus and related diseases. For more information about the treatment or Lupus, please view Dr. Manzi’s presentation here. Delegate Peña-Melnyk continued the presentation as she spoke about the state briefing she hosted on the issue of raising the awareness of Lupus in her state, her “lessons learned” and the discussion of the steps a legislator might need to take if she is going to work on lupus, including potential activities to raise awareness. For more information, download the Lupus Toolkit.
July 2011
Women In Government featured lupus as a topic at the 18th Annual Midwestern Regional Conference. Jan Ferris, the Executive Director of the Indiana Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA), spoke about what the LFA considers to be state legislative priorities. Her presentation is available here. Senator Connie Lawson, from the Indiana State Legislature, also spoke about her family's personal experiences with lupus, and what she has done legislatively to help lupus research and awareness in her state.
February 2011
Women In Government hosted State Briefings on the topic of lupus in Indiana and Maryland.
January 2011
The 17th Annual State Director's & Ninth Biennial First Term Legislators Conference featured an expert medical professional, Dr. Susan Manzi, who presented on the impact of Lupus on women's health. Lupus typically strikes young women of childbearing age, often causing complication in the mother's health and increasing the risk of miscarriages, death or premature birth. For more information, please see Dr. Manzi's materials here.
2010
Wisconson passed legislation designating May as Lupus Awareness Month. Click here to see the proclamation.
Hawaii also supports Lupus Awareness through legislation designating May as Lupus Awareness Month. Click on the below links for more information.
See Also
Women In Government paired with Molly's Fund to present a State Briefing to women in the Oregon State Legislature. Please see their website for more Lupus Information.
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Women In Government's work on Lupus
