March is Kidney Month! Join us for a conversation with Dr. Brad Rovin, an expert in autoimmune kidney disease, where we talk about lupus nephritis and kidney health for people with lupus.

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Jillian Rose-Smith, vice president and chief equity officer at the Hospital for the Special Surgery, about lupus in the LGBTQ+ communities. We discuss what it means to have gender affirming care, how to protect yourself from implicit bias in the healthcare space and  how to get the support you need. Review these resources to learn more: What role do sex and gender play in lupus? Lupus facts and statistics What is self-advocacy Speak with a health educator Fenway Health - A health organization dedicated to helping LGBTQ+ communities SUBSCRIBE to receive an email update when new episodes of The Expert Series are released.

There is no set definition or timeframe for what counts as lupus remission. It’s no wonder lupus remission is a confusing topic! This month, Dr. Ronald van Vollenhoven, director of Amsterdam Rheumatology Center in the Netherlands, shares his expertise about lupus remission and inactive lupus and what it means for lupus warriors. Learn more about lupus remission on our National Resource Center on Lupus https://www.lupus.org/resources/lupus-remission https://www.lupus.org/resources/patient-physician-dialogue-tool https://www.lupus.org/resources/your-genes-and-lupus

In this episode of The Expert Series, we explore the topic of Step Therapy and access to medications. LFA’s Health Education Specialist and Manager Ashley Holden will explain what Step Therapy is and how it can affect people with lupus. Related resources Check out LFA’s Policy Spotlight on Step Therapy Medications that treat lupus Learn how to self-advocate for yourself or a loved one here

Inflammation from lupus and treatments can affect a person’s bone density, which makes it easier for someone with lupus to break a bone. Dr. Ummara Shah, associate professor in the department of medicine at University of Rochester, discusses why it’s important for people with lupus to care about their bone health. Dr. Shah also leads clinical trials in lupus and is involved in education of lupus patients at the University of Rochester. More resources on how to manage bone health: https://www.lupus.org/resources/how-lupus-affects-the-bones https://www.lupus.org/resources/osteoporosis-management-strategies https://www.lupus.org/resources/how-lupus-affects-the-muscles-tendons-and-joints https://www.lupus.org/resources/exercising-with-lupus

You may have heard the terms health disparities or social determinants of health being used in conversation, but weren’t quite sure how they apply to people with lupus. If so, this is your time to listen. We’re talking with LFA’s Research Director Dr. Joy Buie about health disparities and social determinants of health and how it can affect people with lupus. Here is some important information Keep track your health information with Your lupus care file Financial assistance resource page Get the most from your doctor’s visit

La discusión de este episodio se impartió en español Lupe y Lety, especialistas en educación para la salud de la Fundación de Lupus de América (LFA, por sus siglas en inglés), están de vuelta en un nuevo episodio respondiendo preguntas frecuentes sobre el lupus sometidas al equipo de educación para la salud. Para enviar su propia pregunta a los especialistas en educación de la salud, llena este formulario aquí Para leer más de las respuestas del blog de las especialistas en educación de la salud hag clic en el enlace, en inglés o en español Para obtener más información sobre el lupus, visite el NRCL (NRCL en español) ---  This episode discussion is conducted in Spanish Lupus Foundation of America’s Health Education Specialists, Lupe and Lety, are back in a new episode answering frequently asked lupus questions sent to the health education team. To submit your own question to Health Education Specialists, fill out this form here To read more from Answers from the Health Education Specialists blog, in English or en Espanol To learn more about lupus, visit the NRCL (NRCL en Espanol)

In this episode, we focus on eyes and how lupus can affect vision. Dr. Michelle Petri, founder and director of Johns Hopkins Lupus Center, discusses the importance of maintaining eye health when you have lupus, and what to take notice of depending on prescribed medications. To learn more about lupus and the eyes, review a slideshow here Related: To see how lupus affects other parts of the body, check out our resources here Here’s how medications used to treat lupus can affect you, read more here

Clinical trials make new and better treatments for lupus possible. In this episode of The Expert Series, we sit down and talk with Stephanie Slan, director of IMPACT+ (Improving Minority Participation and Awareness in Clinical Trials) at the Lupus Foundation of America about clinical trial participation. Stephanie also debunks some myths about clinical trials might keep people from wanting to participate. It’s important for people with lupus to consider participating in these trials to further the advancement of lupus medicines and treatment. This episode breaks down eligibility criteria, what happens during a clinical trial, and what happens with your information after a trial. Listen to learn more To learn more about clinical trials, read more about participating in clinical trials here or about frequently asked questions here If you are interested in participating in research, visit: Lupus.org/RAY SUBSCRIBE to receive an email update when new episodes of The Expert Series are released.

In this month’s episode, we talk about self-care/self-management with Dr. May Choi. Dr. Choi is a rheumatologist, clinician scientist, and Assistant Professor at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. She has a background and training that include Masters of Public Health in Epidemiology at Harvard University and a lupus fellowship. Dr. Choi is also the Associate Director of MitogenDx Laboratory for novel autoantibody and biomarker testing for autoimmune diseases and the Associate Director of Research for the University of Calgary Lupus Centre of Excellence. Resources Here is a resource and worksheet to help find support near you. If you want a list of program and services the Lupus Foundation of America provides, you can find information here. Read about lupus and depression, and a coping with lupus strategies worksheet. Depending on where you are in your lupus journey, consider signing up for Strategies to Embracing Living with Lupus Fearlessly, or SELF. This program is self-paced program and can guide someone to reach milestones that can help improve quality of life.

This episode was recorded in Spanish. Este podcast fue grabado en español. En este episodio, nuestras especialistas en educación para la salud, Leticia Ocaña, MPH, CHES® y Guadalupe Patiño, MPH, hablan sobre los recursos financieros que pueden estar disponibles para las personas con lupus de la comunidad hispana/latina. Los recursos que comparten incluye información que se encuentra en nuestro nuevo artículo que se enfoca en brindar ayuda a la comunidad de lupus y dónde buscarla. Para obtener más información sobre recursos de asistencia financiera, visite: https://www.lupus.org/es/resources/recursos-de-asistencia-financiera O aquí en inglés:  https://www.lupus.org/resources/financial-assistance  For people with lupus, help  may come in many ways – whether it’s through caregivers or organizations. While the Lupus Foundation of America doesn’t provide direct financial assistance, we have complied a resource to help people with lupus find the help they may need to keep up with the cost of their lupus care . Our Health Education Specialists Leticia Ocaña and Guadalupe Patiño share information in this resource for people with lupus, including from the Hispanic/Latino lupus community.  For more information of financial assistance resource, visit: https://www.lupus.org/es/resources/recursos-de-asistencia-financiera Or here, in English: https://www.lupus.org/resources/financial-assistance

In this episode of The Expert Series, LFA’s Senior Communication Strategist Duane Peters talks with Melanie Betz of University of Chicago. Betz, a member of the American Kidney Fund dietician advisory group, addresses the role of diet for people with Lupus Nephritis and kidney-friendly recipes. For information on Lupus Nephritis, check out our dedicated resource page. You may learn more about how kidney disease involvement may affect someone with lupus. For recipes, you can check out Melanie Betz’s website and American Kidney Fund’s Kidney Kitchen. SUBSCRIBE to receive an email update when new episodes of The Expert Series are released.

In this episode of The Expert Series, Dr. Diane Kamen, Associate Professor of Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina, Division of Rheumatology, will be sharing updates regarding research for treatments in lupus. She highlights the history of autoimmunity research, stem cell research and newly approved treatments for lupus. For more research news updates, visit: Lupus.org/News If you are interested in participating in research, visit: Lupus.org/RAY SUBSCRIBE to receive an e-mail update when new episodes of The Expert Series are released.

The Lupus Foundation of America Health Education Specialists have had increased calls and emails from people with lupus, with questions about safely returning to work. We know that this year, is a very unique one for getting back to work with the COVID-19 pandemic. But we also know that working with lupus is a very important topics for most people with lupus and one we want to make sure we cover. Please find the links to important resources discussed in this episode: Lupus and the workplace FAQs | Lupus Foundation of America What you need to know about workplace accommodations | Lupus Foundation of America Call 211 for Essential Community Services | United Way 211 COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens | CDC JAN - Job Accommodation Network (askjan.org) ADA.gov homepage Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (osha.gov) SUBSCRIBE HERE to receive an e-mail update when new episodes of The Expert Series are released.

It’s Men’s Health Month and we want to discuss how lupus affects men. In this episode of The Expert Series, Men’s Health and Special Considerations with Lupus, we answer some important questions about men’s health with Dr. Niewold, Director of the Colton Center for Autoimmunity and Judith and Stewart Colton Professor of Medicine and Pathology at New York University Grossman School of Medicine. For more information about lupus and men, click here. SUBSCRIBE HERE to receive an e-mail update when new episodes of The Expert Series are released.

Getting an early and accurate lupus diagnosis is critical to preventing long-term consequences of the disease. In this episode of The Expert Series, Could It Be Lupus? we answer some important questions about labs and diagnostic assessments for lupus diagnosis with Dr. Adegbenga Bankole from Carillion Clinic in Roanoke, Virginia. For more information about diagnosing lupus click here. This episode is sponsored by Exagen. The need for improved lab tests prompted the Lupus Foundation of America to support early research on the development of Cell-Bound Complement Activation Products also known as CB-CAPs. CB-CAPs are now the cornerstone of Exagen’s AVISE CTD test for diagnosis and AVISE SLE Monitor used to uncover disease activity in people who have lupus. More about AVISE can be found at www.avisetest.com. SUBSCRIBE HERE to receive an e-mail update when new episodes of The Expert Series are released.

In this episode of The Expert Series, we discuss Improving Health Visits for People with Lupus with Jillian Rose. Jillian Rose is Assistant Vice President of Community Engagement, Diversity, Research at the Hospital for Special Surgery with a Master’s in Social Work, a Master’s in Public Health and Doctorate of Education from Columbia University in New York. She is dedicated to health equality for rheumatology and orthopedic care and today, as we celebrate Minority Health Month, we share her knowledge about implicit bias and how we can work to improve health visits for people with lupus. For more information about preparing for your health visits click here. SUBSCRIBE HERE to receive an e-mail update when new episodes of The Expert Series are released.

In this episode of The Expert Series, we discuss Managing Your Journey with Lupus Nephritis with Wendy Rodgers. Wendy is the Senior Manager for Community Outreach and Engagement for the Lupus Foundation of America and lupus warrior. With a background in science and education, and has lived with lupus for 21 years (and counting), she provides helpful insights into managing your lupus nephritis and how to find resources along the way. For more information about lupus nephritis click here. SUBSCRIBE HERE to receive an e-mail update when new episodes of The Expert Series are released.

In this episode of The Expert Series, we discuss Top Questions about Skin and Hair with Fotios Kompouras, MD. Dr. Kompouras is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Director of the Yale Lupus Program in Connecticut. He attended St. George's University School of Medicine and worked closely with Lupus Foundation of America’s Acting Medical Director, Dr. Susan Manzi, investing novel therapeutics for lupus at the University of Pittsburgh and Allegheny Clinic before moving to Yale. He has assisted in important clinical research over the course of his career that has contributed to the treatments for lupus and has developed a cohort of lupus patients for novel lupus research. He also has developed the Rheumatology/Dermatology clinic with Sarika Rama Chandra at Yale. For more information about lupus symptoms involving skin and hair click here. SUBSCRIBE HERE to receive an e-mail update when new episodes of The Expert Series are released.

In this episode of The Expert Series, we discuss Lupus & Physical Activity with Hazel L. Breland PhD, FAOTA, OTR/L. Dr. Breland is an Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy at the Medical University of South Carolina, doctoral capstone coordinator, and past president of the Association of Rheumatology Professionals, the interprofessional division of the American College of Rheumatology. Her academic areas of focus include diversity, equity, and inclusion; interprofessional education, community engagement, occupational therapy clinical education; and, patient-centered interventions for chronic conditions For more information about low impact exercises and activities for people with lupus, click here.

2020 was an unprecedented year. The lupus community is strong and we helped each other through this year by sharing our wisdom and compassion. In this episode, we asked both experts in the field as well as people with lupus for advice as we approach 2021. SUBSCRIBE HERE to receive an e-mail update when new episodes of The Expert Series are released.

In this episode of The Expert Series, we discuss Trust and Participation in Research with Dr. Owen Garrick. Dr. Garrick is the President and CEO of Bridge Clinical Research, a global clinical research and health communications firm focused on drug development, scientific advancement and patient engagement. He has helped launch multiple collaborative efforts in advancing precision medicine research and serves as an advisor to the Stanford Precision Health for Ethnic and Racial Equity Center (SPHERE). In this interview, Dr. Garrick shares more information about precision medicine, the importance of diversity in clinical trials and what participation in a clinical trial entails. SUBSCRIBE HERE to receive an e-mail updates when new episodes of The Expert Series are released.

En este episodio de The Expert Series o la Serie de Expertos, Leticia Ocaña, MPH, CHES, Educadora de la salud de La Fundación de Lupus de América comparte más información sobre cómo nuestras educadoras de la salud pueden ayudarle a entender y manejar el lupus y los recursos que puede utilizar, incluyendo: Take Charge, LupusConnect™, y Lupus Foundation of America Caregiver Toolkit. 

In this episode of The Expert Series, we discuss The Importance of Support with Lupus Foundation of America staff: Wendy, our Community Outreach and Engagement Manager, and Lauren, our Health Education Nurse Manager. Wendy and Lauren share more information about types of support, support groups, and helpful resources for those looking to build their support system. SUBSCRIBE HERE to receive an e-mail updates when new episodes of The Expert Series are released.

In this episode of The Expert Series, we discuss Kidney Health and Lupus with Dr. Brad Rovin, Nephrologist at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Dr. Rovin explains what to expect from a lupus diagnosis, lifestyle considerations for healthy living, and what exciting new treatments are on the horizon for people with lupus nephritis. This episode is sponsored by Aurinia Pharmaceuticals. Aurinia Pharmaceuticals is committed to supporting the needs of the lupus nephritis community. That’s why they created the ALL IN program, a source of information, resources, and support for those affected by lupus nephritis, an inflammation of the kidneys caused by lupus. For more information visit www.allinforln.com.  SUBSCRIBE HERE to receive an e-mail updates when new episodes of The Expert Series are released.

In this episode of The Expert Series, The Impact of Racial Trauma on Mental Health, America Paredes from Mental Health America discusses mental health in the Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) community as well as resources to help cope. SUBSCRIBE HERE to receive an e-mail updates when new episodes of The Expert Series are released. About Mental Health America Mental Health America (MHA) is an organization dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and promoting the overall mental health of all. MHA’s work is driven by its commitment to promote mental health as a critical part of overall wellness, including prevention services for all; early identification and intervention for those at risk; integrated care, services, and supports for those who need them; with recovery as the goal.

 In this episode of The Expert Series, Reproductive Health and Lupus, Dr. Jane Salmon shares information about reproductive health, antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), challenges with pregnancy with lupus and tips on how to prepare for a having safe pregnancy. SUBSCRIBE HERE to receive an e-mail updates when new episodes of The Expert Series are released.

The Expert Series by the Lupus Foundation of America is an educational podcast series featuring empowering conversations with leading lupus experts with a focus on helping you live well with lupus. Each month, lupus experts will offer invaluable insight on a variety of important topics, providing you with the knowledge you need to better manage the disease. New segments of The Expert Series are available on the third Thursday of every month. Subscribe on Lupus.org/TheExpertSeries to receive an email when new episodes are released.