May 9, 2007 -Mandarin Oriental Hotel - To some, lupus is an unknown, unheard of word.  But for millions of lupus suffers living with the disease the word LUPUS can mean joint pain and swelling, fatigue, chest pains, even death.

 

Hosted by actor Malcolm Jamal Warner (Cosby Show fame), the Lupus Foundation of America 's fourth annual gala honored those making strides to cure and bring awareness to the disease.

 

Lupus is an autoimmune disease causing inflammation and tissue damage to organ systems in the body.   It affects women, (more often than not, women of color), men and children. 

 

Honored at the event were actress, and Maybelline spokesperson, Tomiko Fraser Hines who revealed that her sister, Shaneequa is suffering from the disease.  “One day my sister went from being a healthy African-American red-blooded woman, to a person who can’t remember her own child, Ms. Hines told Washington's Online Urban Event, Culture, Political, Entertainment, & LifeStyle Magazine.”  “Lupus has severely attacked her brain”.

 

Ms. Hines is caregiver to her sister who was diagnosed ten years ago with the disease.

 

Also affected by lupus is the 2004 American Top Model runner-up, and Lupus national spokesperson MercedesYvette, who says having a good support system around you helps.  She is committed to living a healthy lifestyle and says doing yoga exercises and taking medication helps her handle the disease.

 

Medicines currently being used to treat lupus are Rituxan and Plaquenil. Plaquenil (pronounced plak-qwa-neel), also used to treat malaria, reduces the production of auto antibodies that cause problems in lupus, according the Spring 2007 edition of Lupus Now, a quarterly magazine put out the Lupus Foundation.

 

Miss America Pageant winner and former Howard University jazz student, Shilah Phillips was also in attendance.  Ms. Phillips is the first African-American woman to represent the state of Texas and is on a year long speaking tour to encourage youth to stay in school, live healthy lifestyles, and to keep dreams alive.

 

“Never give up” is her mantra.

 

Other honorees included U.S. Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL); actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith; Lisa Price, founder of the Carol's Daughter Body and Cosmetics; and H. Thomas Watkins, President & CEO of Human Genome Sciences.

 

Headlining the evening’s talent was Academy Award winner for Best Supporting Actress, Jennifer Hudson, who delighted the audience with several hit songs from the movie Dream Girls.

 

Attendees at the gala received a gift bag that contained both the CD and DVD version of the Academy Award nominated film, Dream Girls; samples of Carol’s Daughter skin and body products; and several makeup and fragrance items for men and women, to name a few.

 

The Lupus Foundation of America is the nation's leading non-profit voluntary health agency dedicated to research and awareness, education, patient support, and advocacy.  

 

Photo: Jennifer Hudson performing hit song from her Dream Girls movie debut.