Lunch for Lupus

May is Lupus Awareness Month – do you know about this mysterious, often debilitating disease, which has no cure?  Join us at our Luncheon for Lupus fundraiser to discover more about this obscure condition. 

This is the first of many fundraisers for the Lupus Foundation of America, Illinois Chapter. Tufano’s Restaurant in Little Italy – 1073 W. Vernon Park Place, Chicago – will be hosting the event on Monday, June 24 starting at 11:30 AM.  Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased online at: www.lupusil.org by clicking on “upcoming events”

Although Tufano’s Restaurant is normally closed on Mondays, it has opened its doors to support lupus through this event.  However, don’t wait! We only have 200 tickets available, and they will be sold quickly.

In the mean time, you can learn more about lupus from the Lupus Foundation of America at www.lupusil.org, or by reading below:

Why is awareness of lupus important?

• Lupus can attack the body for years before the disease is diagnosed. Symptoms of lupus mimic common illnesses and often are dismissed as nothing serious.

• More than half of the people with lupus suffer four or more years and visit three or more doctors before receiving a correct diagnosis.


• Awareness of lupus is lowest among women 18-24 – the age group most likely to develop the disease.


• Late diagnosis and delayed treatment contribute to poor outcomes and increased morbidity and mortality.


• Lupus is a serious disease that can damage vital organs, such as the kidneys, heart, lungs, and brain. The disease can cause seizures, strokes, heart attacks, miscarriages, and organ failure leading to significant disability or death.

However, there is hope.

Early diagnosis and proper medical care greatly improve the quality of life for people with lupus. The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) seeks to educate the public about early warning signs of lupus and all aspects of living and coping with the disease.

With your help, we can prevent needless suffering through increased awareness of lupus. Additional resources are available from the Lupus Foundation of America Website at www.lupus.org or from your local LFA chapter. A list of chapters appears on the LFA Website.

At the luncheon, Charles Brummel, President and CEO of the Lupus Foundation of America, Illinois Chapter, will be on-hand to answer your questions about lupus.  Additionally, many artists from around the Chicagoland area are donating artwork to help raise funds for this event as well.  Specifically, artists such as Jenny Learner who is a full-time artist, is donating some encaustic artwork for this event.  You can view her artwork at her studio in the Zhou B Art Center, Studio 303, 1029 West 35th Street in Chicago, or on her website, http://www.jennylearner.com.

For more information, or to learn more about the Lupus Foundation of America’s Illinois Chapter, please call Mary Dollear, Vice President at 312-542-0002.