World Walks for Lupus May 25 in Shanghai, China

SHANGHAI, China, May 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nearly 500 individuals from nations around the world participated today in the inaugural "World Walks for Lupus" event at the Shanghai International Convention Center in Shanghai, China. Representatives from more than two-dozen international lupus patient advocacy organizations, as well as a number of the world's leading lupus medical researchers and clinicians, were among the walkers who carried signs containing pictures of people from around the world who are living with lupus.

"This symbolic walk is being held to bring greater awareness to lupus, which is under-recognized as a global health problem," said Sandra C. Raymond, President & CEO of the Lupus Foundation of America, which organized the event in collaboration with the Chinese Medical Society. "Thousands die from health complication of lupus each year. People with lupus -- who face possible strokes, heart attacks, disabling pain, disfiguring skin rashes, and other serious health problems -- are calling for more research, safer and more effective treatments, and improved healthcare," said Raymond.

While epidemiological studies on lupus are limited, the LFA estimates that at least five million people worldwide suffer from the debilitating health effects of lupus. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the body's own healthy tissue leading to great pain, disability and in some cases death.

The "World Walks for Lupus" event coincided with the Eighth International Congress on Lupus that is underway through May 27 at the Shanghai Convention Center. Approximately 1,100 researchers, clinicians, scientists, advocates, and pharmaceutical company executives, and nearly 500 people with lupus from around the world are attending the Congress, which features programs for health professionals and separate tracks for members of the public and leaders of international lupus advocacy organizations.