VIDEO: Local learners raise funds for Lupus Foundation
The month of May is Lupus Awareness Month, which is aimed at educating the public about the disease. Lupus is a systemic autoimmune disease that occurs when your body’s immune system attacks your own tissues and organs
Two Grade 11 friends from Boksburg High School recently raised R2 200 for the Lupus Foundation.
Both Tarryn Varrie and Jade Lange’s mothers are diagnosed with the disease.
Tarryn’s mother was diagnosed in August 2017 and Jade’s mother in June 2015.
According to Tarryn, they decided to educate their fellow learners at school about the disease, and also to raise money for the foundation.
“From May 7 to 10, we sold purple ribbons (Lupus colour) for R2 and also we presented speeches in all four assembles to create awareness on what Lupus is and how we struggle with it,” Tarryn said.
Jade said the response they got from the learners was amazing because they sold over 1000 ribbons and some of the learners pre-ordered the ribbons.
“We managed to raise R1 800 at school and fortunately two companies, Autumn Star and Devine Ratio, donated the rest of the funds.
“Also after our speeches, our fellow learners approached us to let us know about their stories,” Tarryn said.
Jade highlighted that it’s hard to know that their mothers can be admitted to hospital at any given day because the disease is unpredictable.
Tarryn said: “Some days I would come back from school and find that my mother has been admitted to hospital without me knowing or aware.”
Rhoda Varrie, Tarryn’s mother, said: “Lupus is an unknown disease and it’s underfunded, unresearched, undiagnosed and incurable.
“To diagnose Lupus is a process and takes months for the doctor to confirm it. I remember mine: it took the doctors seven months to confirm that it was indeed Lupus. In those seven months I was in and out of hospital.
“The biggest challenge of Lupus is that on the outside we don’t look sick, we actually look normal but inside there is this invisible disease that is attacking the immune system and all the organs,” Varrie said.
Chantel Lange, Jade’s mother, said she was extremely overwhelmed when her daughter told her about the fund-raising and about revealing to her peers that her mother has Lupus.
“I am so proud of her that she wasn’t embarrassed or think about what her peers will say, but she made a difference by educating the learners about this disease,” Lange said.
Lupus health activist Sibongile Komati said they started the Lupus Foundation to create awareness after they realised that doctors and nurses have little knowledge about the condition.
“We will be starting a programme of training them in conjunction with the department of health. Some of the common symptoms include rash, bruising, nose bleeding, fatigue, miscarriages, joint pain and many more,” Komati said.
To find out more about Lupus Foundation visit their website on www.lupusfoundation.co.za.
FOLLOW US:
For more #hyperlocal news at your fingertips, visit Benoni City Times, Springs Advertiser, Brakpan Herald, African Reporter and Kathorus Mail.
