Together with a good friend I will be taking part in the ‘Go the Extra Mile’ Walk in aid of Lupus UK on Monday Oct 1st 2012.  We are hoping to find a minimum of 20 people who will sponsor us for at least £1 as our contribution to Lupus Awareness Month.

I support Lupus UK because my daughter was diagnosed with atypical lupus 5 years ago after falling ill whilst working at a technical university in France. She saw our family doctor whilst at home in Yorkshire on a visit and was referred to the Rheumatology Consultant at her local hospital.  His initial diagnosis was that she was suffering from Raynauds disease, a condition which causes hands and feet to change colour and become painful in cold weather.

Rachel’s condition continued to deteriorate, experiencing weight loss and exhaustion, so our family doctor referred her to Leeds Immunology Department where doctors diagnosed her with ‘atypical’ lupus.  She now lives at home with her parents having had to abandon her plans for teaching abroad.  She does still teach from home occasionally and has begun a new Career writing short stories and poetry some of which has been published

Rachel is now in her thirties and is currently undergoing Chemotherapy treatment for her condition but she shows amazing resilience and determination to carry on with a life as normal as possible.

I have recently taken early retirement from  clerical work in the NHS after nearly seventeen years and every day there it was been brought home to me just how much we have to be thankful for if we have our health.  During the past seventeen years I have made some very good friends and worked with some lovely people.

I am now asking for their help in sponsoring me on this walk for funds to help research into this debilitating, little known and, as yet, incurable illness.