ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Lace up for Lupus brought people together at Radium Springs Garden Park to learn more about lupus and how it affects those who have it.

The walk started from two women who wanted to honor their family members.

“We are passionate about this work because of our family members who are living with lupus or who have lost their lives to lupus. So we thought that community awareness, just to make sure that everybody is aware of this chronic illness that people are suffering with daily. My sister here with me, Kawana Jones, she’s currently a lupus warrior. I also have an aunt who is a lupus warrior, and I have an aunt who passed away from lupus. So it runs in our family, and we just want to make sure that we show support for them and everyone else that’s suffering.”

More than 200,000 Americans are living with lupus, according to the CDC. Lupus is a lifelong autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack healthy parts of the body, which can lead to pain, inflammation, and damage to organs like the kidneys, heart, and lungs.

Living with lupus

Kawana Jones, someone living with lupus, described what it feels like as well as some of the misunderstandings surrounding the disease.

“I think the biggest misconception is just because we look okay does not mean that we feel okay, So as a lupus warrior, my journey with lupus is different from day to day. So I might wake up feeling great and by the middle of the day, I may not feel hot. So it just varies depending on the day and just depending on what’s going on.”

Jones said it feels great to be able to bring this many people together to raise awareness for lupus while also offering a sense of community for those living with it.

“It feels amazing just knowing that you have support. The biggest thing that I tell myself and I tell others is just knowing that you’re not alone, whether it’s just friends or family or just knowing that you have the community behind you, it feels amazing.”

Currently there is no cure for lupus. Donations received from Lace up for Lupus will be donated to the Lupus Foundation of Georgia.

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