World Lupus Day is observed annually on May 10th and attempts to raise public awareness about Lupus — a chronic autoimmune disease that can cause inflammation, pain, and damage to the tissues, joints, and/or organs of those affected by it.

Although Lupus is a complicated disease, it can be summed up simply by saying that it causes the human body to create autoantibodies that, instead of attacking disease, end up attacking the sufferer’s own healthy tissues. Anyone wishing to call attention to this terrible condition might want to take a few moments to observe this day, raise awareness about it, and help raise money for a cure.

The History of World Lupus Day

Although there have been separate holidays around the world trying to raise awareness about Lupus, there wasn’t a unified global movement until 2004. This is when World Lupus Day was created. It has been observed by Lupus organizations all over the world ever since to educate the public about the effects of Lupus and to encourage fundraising events towards finding a cure.

Some Important Facts About Lupus

Below are some important facts that we feel anyone and everyone should know about Lupus. We’ve put together the following facts after doing extensive research on this subject, and it’s our sincere hope that the information proves useful to everyone reading about World Lupus Day. Let’s look at them below.

• The Lupus Foundation of America has estimated that as of 2022, 1.5 million Americans and 5 million people worldwide have Lupus.
• Although men and children can have Lupus, this disease affects mostly women of childbearing age.
• Approximately 9 out of 10 people with Lupus are women.
• Although Lupus symptoms can vary from one person to another, some typical symptoms include extreme fatigue, pain, cognitive issues, hair loss, and physical impairments.
• There are four different forms of Lupus: Systemic Lupus, Cutaneous Lupus, Drug-Induced Lupus, and Neonatal Lupus.
• Lupus is anywhere from 2 to 3 times more prevalent among African American, Asian, Alaskan Native, Hispanic/Latina, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander women than among white women.

Observing World Lupus Day

World Lupus Day is observed through a variety of different events every May 10th. This includes seminars, exhibitions, webinars, and other special events. There are also plenty of fundraising events that attempt to raise funds for additional Lupus research. Everyone wishing to observe this day can do so by using the hashtag #WorldLupusDay on social media.