The Lupus Foundation of America, North Carolina Chapter (LFANC) ^[1] will host the 13^th Annual NC Lupus Summit ^[2] on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2014. The educational conference is open to the public and will take place from 9am to 3:30pm at Hilton Charlotte University Place, 8629 JM Keynes Drive in Charlotte.

The all-day event is the largest educational conference on lupus in the state, with discussions led by physicians and other experts. Exhibitors from organizations and companies that provide services and products for the lupus community also will be there.

Pre-registration by Jan. 3 is required. The cost is $15 per person and includes lunch and a special gift. Scholarships are available. For more information or to register, call toll-free to 877-849-8271 or visit http://www.lupus.org/northcarolina/ ^[2].

Cindy Coney ^[3] will be the keynote speaker. Coney is a lupus thriver, ambassador of hope, author of “The Wild Women’s Guide to Living with Chronic Illness,” and a nationally acclaimed speaker, human resilience expert and philanthropic force. She has taught thousands of people to move beyond coping with limitations to recapturing joy and fulfillment in their lives.

“We look forward to kicking off 2014 with our annual Summit that will bring together hundreds of lupus patients, caregivers, advocates and medical professionals,” said Christine John-Fuller, President & CEO of the LFANC. “We encourage anyone impacted by lupus to attend. This conference is another important step we are taking to help to solve the cruel mystery of lupus. We appreciate our sponsors for their amazing support and all of our speakers for lending their time and expertise.”

This year’s topics include:  Understanding Lupus, Changes in Healthcare, Lupus & Disability, Clinical Trials, Lupus & Overlapping Disease, Lupus & Intimacy, Lupus & Nutrition, and Lupus & the Cardiopulmonary System.

About Lupus:  Lupus is an unpredictable and misunderstood autoimmune disease that ravages different parts of the body. It is difficult to diagnose, hard to live with, and a challenge to treat. Lupus is a cruel mystery because it is hidden from view and undefined, has a range of symptoms, hits out of nowhere, and has no known cause and no known cure. Its health effects can range from a skin rash to a heart attack. Lupus is debilitating and destructive, and can be fatal, yet research on lupus remains underfunded relative to its scope and devastation.

About the Lupus Foundation of America, North Carolina Chapter

The Lupus Foundation of America, North Carolina Chapter is part of the national force devoted to solving the cruel mystery of lupus while providing caring support to those who suffer from its brutal impact. We work with local health professionals and volunteers to provide information and programs to ensure people with lupus and their families get answers and health professionals know about new means to diagnose and manage the disease. The chapter serves an estimated 45,000 living with lupus in North Carolina.  For more information about lupus or the LFANC, visit www.lupusnc.org ^[1] or call (877) 849-8271. For the latest news and updates, follow us on Facebook ^[4] and Twitter ^[5].

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CONTACT:

Christine John-Fuller, Lupus Foundation of America, North Carolina Chapter

704-716-5640, ext. 5 (office)/704-604-9639 (mobile)

christine.fuller@lupusnc.org ^[6]

Jenni Walker – Walker PR Group – 980-339-8041(office)/704-649-6571(mobile)

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