The Lupus Research Alliance Walk with Us to Cure Lupus Raises Millions for Lupus Research

NEW YORK, Oct. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands of passionate people with lupus and those who care about the cause will join together Saturday, October 19 at the Intrepid Museum in Manhattan for the Lupus Research Alliance (LRA) 2024 New York City Walk with Us to Cure Lupus. Registration remains open through Walk Day at www.lupuswalknyc.org.

A chronic and complex autoimmune disease, lupus can affect any part of the body causing widespread inflammation and tissue damage. The most commonly impacted areas are the joints, skin, brain, lungs, kidneys and blood vessels.

The NYC Walk is free, but fundraising is encouraged. Donations from Walkers and corporate sponsors including the New York Jets; Hospital for Special Surgery; NFL Foundation; Northwell Health; CBRE; BGC; Dime Community Bank; AstraZeneca; Aurinia Pharmaceuticals; Bristol Myers Squibb; Columbia University Irving Medical Center; EMD Serono; NYU Langone Health; KPMG; and RPW Group have already raised hundreds of thousands for lupus research. Additional thanks go to media partners iHeart Media and WCBS-TV/WLNY-TV for helping raise public awareness of lupus as a serious, commonly misdiagnosed disease disproportionately affecting women of color.

Walk supporters also included Northwell Health; Columbia Irving Medical Center; and NYU Langone Health as well as Hospital for Special Surgery -- members of the Lupus Clinical Investigators Network (LuCIN) of leading centers overseen by LRA clinical research affiliate Lupus Therapeutics. The Walk is a fun, family day with activities and snacks for kids and adults alike. But participants also have an opportunity to speak with representatives of these centers to learn about clinical studies being conducted in the New York City area. All those who cannot attend, wherever they are, can access the LRA Virtual Walk event via livestream on LRA's Instagram starting at 9:00 AM EST. 

Why the Lupus Community Walks with the LRA

"Right now, we are seeing the most exciting time in lupus research," said Albert T. Roy, LRA President and CEO. "Our research discovered pathways that many drugs currently in development are targeting. But the work we fund will further pave the way for individualized treatments that can address the many ways lupus affects each person, and ultimately to find a cure." 

The nationwide Walk program is an opportunity for local lupus communities to connect in person while also providing a chance for people throughout the country and even the world to unite around their common goal – to improve treatment while driving toward a cure. It began over 22 years ago and has raised more than $45 million for lupus research. Because the LRA's Board of Directors covers all administrative and fundraising costs, every dollar goes directly to support lupus research programs. Visit www.lupuswalknyc.org or Email lupuswalkNYC@lupusresearch.org for more information about the event.

Joining the Walk with Us to Cure Lupus program is a first step to contribute by raising funds and coming together with the broader lupus community. But the Walk could be just the beginning. The LRA's ManyOne Can campaign asks each person living with lupus or someone who cares to get involved by advocating for more government research funding, improving early diagnosis by educating others about lupus, or participating in clinical research. No one person or organization can conquer lupus alone, but together ManyOne Can!

About Lupus

Lupus is a chronic, complex autoimmune disease that affects millions of people worldwide. Ninety percent of people with lupus are women, often striking during the childbearing years of 15-45. Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, Asian and Pacific Islander people are disproportionately affected by lupus and are more likely to experience severe lupus symptoms. In lupus, the immune system, meant to defend against infections, produces antibodies that mistakenly recognize the body's own cells as foreign, prompting other immune cells to attack and potentially damage organs such as the kidneys, brain, heart, lungs, blood, skin, and joints.

About the Lupus Research Alliance

The Lupus Research Alliance is the largest non-governmental, non-profit funder of lupus research worldwide. The organization aims to transform treatment by funding the most innovative lupus research, fostering diverse scientific talent, and driving discovery toward better diagnostics, improved treatments and ultimately a cure for lupus. Because the Lupus Research Alliance's Board of Directors funds all administrative and fundraising costs, 100% of all donations goes to support lupus research programs. 

About Lupus Therapeutics

Lupus Therapeutics, the clinical research affiliate of the Lupus Research Alliance, aims to accelerate the development of curative treatments for all patients living with lupus. Lupus Therapeutics collaborates with academic institutions, biotechnology and pharmaceutical partners through the unprecedented Lupus Clinical Investigators Network (LuCIN) to drive rapid and meaningful progress in the treatment of lupus patients. The organization elevates the patient voice, engages community stakeholders, and strives for representation of the diverse lupus community in the clinical research process with the most innovative and renowned experts throughout North America.

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SOURCE Lupus Research Alliance