Lupus Foundation Hosts Virtual Symposium Oct. 31

On Sunday, October 31, the Lupus Foundation of Jamaica (LFJ), will stage a virtual symposium for persons who are beset by the disease, especially children, beginning at 10:00 a.m.

The event will be held under the theme ‘Children and Youth with Lupus: Improving Outcomes Through Knowledge and Support’, and will feature local and international speakers placing the spotlight on improving treatment and support for this vulnerable group.

With support from the National Health Fund (NHF), along with other key partners such as Ipca Laboratories, the public will interact with key medical professionals via the LFJ Facebook and YouTube platforms.

President of the group, Dr. Desirée Tulloch-Reid, informed that last year’s event attracted more than a thousand attendees, which included more than a hundred registered medical professionals.

“The symposium is again expected to attract strong viewership, not only within Jamaica but also from the regional and international communities, enabled through live streaming on multiple platforms and convenient online registration,” she outlined.

A prominent paediatric lupus expert, Professor Earl Silverman, from the Hospital For Sick Children, in Toronto, Canada, will make the keynote presentation on ‘Outcomes in Paediatric Lupus’.

“A range of topics, such as Lupus Kidney Disease in Children, Cutaneous Lupus in Children, The Adolescent with Lupus, Practical Therapeutics and Promoting Adherence will also be covered by local experts,” the President noted.

There will also be a special segment called ‘Making The Difference’, which will showcase a multidisciplinary panel seeking to uncover and share practical and immediate solutions to various situations children or youth with lupus and their families may encounter, and ways they can receive support within the school, home, community and healthcare settings.

Participants can register in advance on the Foundation’s website for full access to the event, and can also view the live stream on their social media pages.

Lupus is a chronic or lifelong autoimmune disease that is widely considered a ‘disease of the young’, with an average age of 22, and up to 20 per cent being diagnosed as children.

“Lupus in this age group can be severe, with more frequent involvement of internal organ systems, such as kidney, blood and the nervous system. Early recognition and appropriate treatment are critical in the management of lupus,” Dr. Tulloch-Reid, who is a Rheumatologist, explained.