YWCA will promote lupus awareness

YOUNGSTOWN -- The YWCA, 25 W. Rayen Ave., had a press conference today to begin a 30-day campaign promoting Lupus Awareness Month.
Topics addressed during the press conference will include: Youngstown mayoral proclamation recognizing October as Lupus Awareness Month; an overview of the auto-immune disease; the disproportional impact of lupus on women of color; advocacy opportunities; the upcoming Living with Lupus Health Symposium; and local resource information.
Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic disease of the body's immune system. The Lupus Foundation of America estimates that more than 1.5 million Americans, mostly women and minorities, have a form of the disease.
The YWCA offers support groups and community education programs as an information resource and support network for people living with lupus in the Mahoning Valley.
The YWCA support group meetings are made possible through a grant from the Ohio Commission on Minority Health and in cooperation with the Lupus Foundation of America Inc., Akron Chapter.
The YWCA educates women and their families about health and wellness issues through outreach in the community, health screenings and support groups.