Lupus – Please Help

Information on Lupus from a good friend of ours. Please donate if you can!!

Video - Lupus LA - www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCh10LIZg70&feature=player_embedded

Hello and thank you for visiting my fundraising page! Donating through this website is easy, fast and totally secure.

As many of you know, I was diagnosed with Lupus in 1987 at the young age of 17. An age where most of us look forward graduating high school and a future of possibility, I was forced to face my own mortality. Like so many Lupus patients, my kidneys were being attacked by my own immune system. I spent most of my late teens and twenties in and out of the hospital where I endured 3 years of chemo-therapy treatments, over 15 surgeries (including bilateral hip replacements), high dose steroid therapy and countless medications (which at times were 30+ pills a day). The physical, emotional and cosmetic effects were at times more than I could bear. Nevertheless, knowing that God never gives us more than we can handle, I made a decision at the age of 19 that I was going to get better and share my story to help others who are suffering from this very serious illness; I made this my reason for being sick. I wasn't sure if I would ever even see my 30th Birthday but I never stopped fighting and here I am today to tell you about it. It was a very long, very tough road yet I never swayed from my vision of getting better and helping others.

I am so grateful to be alive and writing this to all of you today! I just turned 40 this last December and I am excited to live the next 40 years of my life sharing my story and helping others who are suffering from Lupus. I am working on a memoir of my life since my diagnosis in the hopes of sharing more of my story to help and inspire others.

Because of the devastating ramifications of Lupus, I went into kidney failure in 2005. Life works in mysterious ways because what I thought would be my biggest nightmare ended up being my biggest miracle! January 27, 2006 is now my second Birthday! My amazing Brother, Nick (My Hero), donated one of his kidneys to not only save my life but to give me the quality of life that I once could only dream about! Because of Nick's selfless gift of life, I now have the energy and stamina to fulfill my dream!

I have signed up with Lupus LA, which was founded by my Doctor -Daniel Wallace with Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, to run a 5k marathon on March 20th. Initially I wanted to raise $3,500, then I raised it to $5,000 due to the incredible outpouring of support from my AMAZING friends and family. I have made my goal of $5,000 and NOW, I am just trying to raise as much money as I can and as you can see I don't have a lot of time! I am currently the number 2 fundraiser and would love to end as the number 1 fundraiser. I know that the economy is tough and with the recent tragic events in Haiti, that so many of us donated to, funds are tight for all. However, with that said, I humbly ask for you to please find a way to contribute to this most important cause; your donation is 100% tax deductible. Lupus does run in my family and as I write to you today my Uncle Mike is also suffering from kidney failure because of Lupus.

I am alive and kicking for a reason and it is to help raise awareness and funds for Lupus so that others, like myself and my Uncle Mike, will not have to suffer. More than 1.5 million Americans have Lupus, yet it is one of the nation's least recognized major diseases. Lupus is more prevalent than Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Sickle Cell Anemia and Cystic Fibrosis, combined. Further, ninety percent of the people with Lupus are women. By raising money for Lupus research we can help to find better medications, treatments, support and someday a cure that will have a trickle effect on other chronic auto-immune diseases like those mentioned above, Scleroderma, Arthritis and countless others. I am living proof of the advances in medicine since my diagnosis in 1987.

Thank you to each and every one of you! I have posted a photo album on Facebook, and/or have attached a photo page to your email, to show all of you how far I have come. The photos will help you to see the physical/cosmetic effects of Lupus, steroids and kidney related issues. In addition, to find out more about Lupus click on the Lupus LA 2009 link on the left. This short video explains what Lupus is and also features my Doctor, Daniel Wallace.

God Bless you all and may 2010 be filled with nothing but health, love, happiness and prosperity!

Much love to you all!

Bridget Hood

About my nonprofit:
The S.L.E. Lupus Foundation, Inc.

Description: The S.L.E. Lupus Foundation and its West coast division Lupus LA educate and inform the public about lupus, provide services to people with lupus and their families, and work tirelessly... Show More >>

Video: Lupus LA (2009)

Also checkout Sanoviv for holistic options for Lupus