Join us for an opportunity to bring the lupus community together for a day of connection and education in mid-Michigan on Saturday, April 6. Open to those with lupus, friends and family, medical professionals and students. Registration opens at 9 am and the event will take place from 9 am-1 pm on Michigan State University’s campus. Handicap parking available and the event will take place in the accessible radiology building auditorium.
Speakers include:
“Lupus and the Antiphospholipid Syndrome”
Dr. Carol Beals, MD, rheumatologist
Dr. Carol Beals, MD is a retired rheumatologist with decades of experience in the Lansing area. She established the Beals Institute, later renamed the Great Lakes Center of Rheumatology West, which provides the highest quality and state-of-the-art health care for arthritis, autoimmune diseases, and osteoporosis. Dr. Beals will address the connection between lupus and the Antiphospholipid Syndrome. People with lupus may develop Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS), a condition that can cause blood clots to form in various parts of the body. Depending on the location of clots, the effects can be life threatening.
“Plaquenil and the Eyes”
Dr. Bridget C. Grubb, O.D., L.O. Eye Care Grand Ledge
The anti-malarial drug Plaquenil is often prescribed to those with lupus to lower the immune system’s ability to cause inflammation. This can help control symptoms like rashes, skin and mouth sores and joint pain. A rare side effect of Plaquenil is damage to the eye’s retina and using Plaquenil for a long period of time may cause serious vision loss. Dr. Bridget Grubb, O.D., is an ophthalmologist at L.O. Eye Care in Grand Ledge and will speak more on Plaquenil and its effect on the eyes.
“Neurologic Manifestations of Systemic Lupus”
Dr. Amit Sachdev, MD, neurologist
Lupus can attack any part of the nervous system – the central nervous system (CNS lupus), peripheral nervous system and autonomic nervous system. The wide array of symptoms include seizures, strokes, confusion, brain fog, psychosis, myelitis, loss of vision, face pain, dizziness, carpal tunnel, headaches, depression and anxiety, among others. Amit Sachdev, MD, is the Medical Director for the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University and board certified in Neuromuscular Medicine, Electrodiagnostic Medicine and Neurology. Dr. Sachdev will speak about the neurologic manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus.
Admission is free of charge or suggested donation.
The Michigan Lupus Foundation would like to thank Michigan State University and University of Michigan Health-Sparrow for their assistance with this symposium.
Sponsored by:
Donations made to the Michigan Lupus Foundation directly support those with lupus through assistance, awareness and research with the goal of finding a cure. The MI Lupus Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. To learn more about the Michigan Lupus Foundation, visit http://milupus.org.