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Wick Park walkers draw attention to signs and symptoms of lupus
By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK
YOUNGSTOWN
Purple ribbons were painted on the faces of people walking the perimeter of Wick Park. They hoped people would notice.
The walk Saturday was meant to draw attention to lupus, an autoimmune disorder for which there is no cure.
“We’re just trying to raise awareness and let people know what the signs and symptoms are, what to look for,” said Monica Walters of the Youngstown City Health District and program director for the lupus support group at Everlife Worship Center Assembly of God.
“It’s more prevalent in African Americans, but it’s a disease that anybody can get.”
People need to be aware of the symptoms of lupus, Walters said.
“It mimics so many other diseases to where it’s the most highly misdiagnosed disease out there,” she said.
May is Lupus Awareness Month.
LeAsia Tucker, 15, of Youngstown, walked the 2 miles around Wick Park on the North Side to honor her mother, Beatrice Tucker, who has lupus.
“It’s hard; it’s really emotional sometimes,” Tucker said about her mother’s illness. “But if you just stick together, you get through it.”
She was glad to be part of the walk. “People should know about the disease and how it affects people,” she said. “Most people don’t know about it and it needs to get out there.”
The event included a basket raffle, music, and face-painting. Local organizations, such as Eastern Gateway Community College, Life Skills of Youngstown, and NEO HealthForce, shared information on resources available in the area.
“Because a lot of people just don’t know what resources are out there,” Walters said. “And then we all need to work together in collaboration.”
The city health district and the Everlife Worship Center work together to provide lupus support. The Multiple Sclerosis Services Agency of Canfield helped organize Saturday’s event. MS is also an autoimmune disease.
A support group for people with lupus and for those who care for them meets from noon to 1:30 p.m. the second Monday of every month at the Worship Center, 474 Early Road.
Support is important, said Melissa Haddle, intern for the health district and lupus support group.
“Physical and emotional stress can lead to flareups,” in the disease, she said.
There are many support groups online, such as chat rooms and blogs, Haddle said, but not many actually based in the community.
The group is free and offers educational resources and emotional support.
The Lupus Foundation of America Inc. estimates that at least 1.5 million Americans have lupus.