Hi, my name is Beef, and in October 2015 my life changed forever when I was diagnosed with lupus.

For the last decade, I’ve done everything I can to raise money for LUPUS UK and, more importantly, raise awareness of what lupus actually is... because despite affecting thousands of people across the UK, it’s still one of the most misunderstood autoimmune diseases.

Lupus is a condition where your immune system, instead of only attacking infections and harmful bacteria, mistakenly attacks healthy parts of your own body. It can affect the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, brain, blood, and many other organs. That’s why lupus is often called “the great imitator”because its symptoms can look like so many other illnesses, making diagnosis incredibly difficult and, for many people, taking years. Lupus affects roughly 1 in 1,000 people in the UK, and while anyone can develop it, it is more commonly diagnosed in women.

Before my diagnosis, I had plans, ambitions, and a vision of what my future would look like just like anyone else. Lupus had other ideas.

This disease changed my life in ways I could never have imagined. It stripped away independence, altered long-term goals and dreams, and created some of the most physically and emotionally painful memories I’ve ever faced.

Lupus caused severe inflammation in my skin. There were times I was losing significant amounts of hair. There were days where simply getting out of bed felt like climbing a mountain. I spent years taking steroids and other medications (inclusing cytotoxic medications) just to survive.

Fortunately, after a very long and difficult battle, in October 2026 I was taken off all of my medication and I am now successfully in remission. That is something I never thought I’d be able to say.

But remission doesn’t mean cured.

There is currently no cure for lupus. Remission simply means the disease is dormant, and lupus can return at any time. So while this chapter is brighter, I still live carefully, remain aware of triggers, and never take good days for granted.

Throughout this journey, one organisation that has continued to support people like me is LUPUS UK. The UK’s only national charity dedicated solely to supporting people living with lupus. Founded in 1990, they provide support groups, educational resources, a helpline, research funding, and specialist nurse support for patients across the country. They also support an online community of over 32,000 members, helping people realise they are never fighting alone.

That’s why this fundraising means so much to me.

Every donation helps fund research, awareness campaigns, support services, and gives hope to people who may currently be in the darkest chapter of their lupus journey.

If sharing my story helps even one person feel less alone, or helps one person finally understand what lupus really is, then every difficult moment has meant something.

Thank you so much for visiting my JustGiving page and supporting this cause that means so much to me.

And if you ever have any questions about my journey with lupus, want to learn more, or simply want a real conversation about life with chronic illness, you can find me over at: www.twitch.tv/Beefaloney