Lupus, also known as systemic lupus erythematosus, is a chronic autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body. The skin, joints, blood, and kidneys are the most commonly affected parts of the body. With this disease, the immune system is unable to differentiate between healthy cells and foreign-bodies. As a result, it attacks and destroys the healthy tissues in the body. Lupus symptoms come and go and may vary in severity. These include fever, unexplained fatigue, arthritis, and butterfly rashes which worsen during exposure to sunlight, also known as lupus face rush.

Anyone can contract the disease, whether young or old. However, there are some people who are more genetically prone to contracting it. It is more common in women, with nine out of ten women getting it in their childbearing years. It is also more common in African-American, Latin, Asian, and Native American women than in Caucasian women. About five million people across the globe have lupus.

At present, there is no cure for this disease. Continuous research is being done in an effort to find a cure. Events like a charity walk, golf tournaments, and other benefits events help fund research for this disease.  Studies include biomedical research committed to finding new drugs that can be used as treatments for the disease. Many believe that the solution to this disease lies in research. Hopefully, it will not be long before experts will be able to find a cure.