Hi everyone, bit of a personal story to tell not only to raise awareness but show how my life has changed. In December 2024, i was diagnosed with Lupus (SLE).Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease.

In lupus the immune system becomes unbalanced resulting in the body reacting against healthy tissue. This is why the symptoms of lupus can vary so much.

It can cause inflammation in the joints and several of the body’s organ systems. (For example: the skin, the kidneys and various other internal organs.) For me my kidneys are affected.

You probably want to know my symptoms and how i was diagnosed. I suffered from a UTI in September which never went away as protein was always found in my samples - this was protein leaking from my kidneys. I experienced hair loss (its growing back :)), joint pain, extreme fatigue and generally feeling like i had the worse flu all the time. My face and eyes swelled up so much so that i was then referred for a kidney biopsy which led to the diagnosis.

At 25, this was a life changing diagnosis for me and i can say i grieved the life i thought i would have. Although there is no cure, the disease can be managed which i am still navigating between flare ups and triggers.

So for the month of April i am taking part in The Virtual Dog Walk for Lupus UK. The challenge involves stepping outside with your four-legged companions every day in for a month, walking any distance you can manage! Whether you walk 100 steps or 10,000, every step you take in makes a differ

LUPUS UK is the only national registered charity supporting people with lupus and assisting those approaching diagnosis. A small donation can go a long way in helping us to support people with lupus. For more information, please visit: www.lupusuk.org.uk