Welcome to Keep Smiling's Team page!

Thank you to all who donated or walked with us last year. This will be Keep Smiling's 11th year participating in the Walk to End Lupus Now. I am super proud to share that thanks to the generosity of family and friends we've raised more than $36k (crazy!) over the years. Please help us increase that number with a generous donation of $25, $50 or even $100. 

The walk is taking place on Saturday, October 19th at Chandler Mall. If you'd like to walk with us, Click "JOIN TEAM" on the right side of this page to join our team and create your own fundraising page. No donation necessary to walk, but we like to track how many people get involved. 

 Ashlye, Team Captain

Here are some facts about lupus that you may not know

• Research indicates that about 1.5 million Americans have lupus. In fact, more Americans have lupus than AIDS, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, sickle-cell anemia, or cystic fibrosis, making it one of this country's most prevalent medical problems.
• While lupus can strike anyone at any time, 90% of people living with lupus are women between the ages of 15 and 44.
• Based on a recent study, it takes an average of six years for people with lupus to be diagnosed from the time they first notice their lupus symptoms.
• The exact cause of lupus is unknown; however, research suggests it is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors (e.g., infection, sunlight, stress) that trigger the disease in susceptible individuals.
• Lupus symptoms can be severe and highly unpredictable and can damage any organ or tissue, from the skin or joints to the heart or kidneys.
• Only one drug has ever been developed and approved by the US Food and Drug Administration specifically to treat the disease.