| Thanks so much for taking the time to visit our fundraising page dedicated to my wonderful [and very patient] Mom, Teresa Heagen, who is a lifelong survivor of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) as well as A LOT of other complications that have arisen from having the illness (including 2 strokes and a heart attack).
Back in 2008, we raised quite a bit of money. This year I'm hoping to double that amount by the date of the Lupus Loop on October 30, 2011 and have a few extra people tag along with us on the walk (you know you wanna).
For those of you who don't know what Lupus is, here's a quick description in layman's terms.
SLE is a genetic autoimmune disease in which a person's immune system goes into overdrive. The body begins fighting a sort of "civil war" with itself, rather than fighting off infections or normal everyday bacteria, thus leaving a person extremely susceptible to illness. Lupus is not very easy to diagnose (ever seen the show "House"? You'll appreciate the picture below) and people who have the disease rarely look sick, despite feeling exhausted and unhealthy most of their lives.
(Can we take a second to appreciate how funny this billboard is though? Look closely before telling me I'm a jerk. We have to keep a sense of humor somehow, right?)
ANYWAY. Your donation will go directly to the Lupus Foundation of America via this donation page, and you DON'T have to create an account. If you are uncomfortable with online donations (it's secure!), I will accept personal checks made out to Steph Affet with "Lupus Loop 2011 Donation" written in the memo. Cash is also being accepted and will be noted on the donation page immediately. | 
