Thank you for taking the time to visit my Walk to End Lupus Now page! Lupus is a cruel disease that is difficult to diagnosis and currently only has one approved medication. Knowing that there is no cure is devastating for those battling this disease and their families, that is why awareness for early detection and donations for research are vitally important.   Please read our lupus warriors journey below and know that every donation and social media share is greatly appreciated and will directly contribute to research for finding a cure.

Our lupus warriors are George and his daughter Catlyn (Cat), my brother in law and niece. The journey for diagnosis was long for each of our warriors, in Georges case it took about 20 years as his first undiagnosed lupus flare happened when he was in his twenties, this flare was not identified as lupus and fortunately for us George went into remission, in his thirties he experienced his second flare, once again not identified as lupus and he once again went into remission. Each of these flares were severe enough that he was hospitalized for several weeks and the prognosis were daunting, however once he went into full remission he went back to his normal life and had no idea his lupus was lurking and waiting to "attack". His last flare was in February 2016 and he was hospitalized and diagnosed with Lupus SLE and stage 4 Nephritis. This time his heart, lungs, and kidneys were damaged and he is now living a new normal. A normal that includes a container of daily medications that have impairing side effects, living with pain every day, exhaustion, insomnia, avoiding the sun and florescent lighting, not having the energy to dance with his daughter Cat, the list goes on. His doctors have warned him that there is an extremely high probability that he will not survive another flare. We need a cure now.

Cats' lupus journey started in June 2015, she fell and hurt her knee. She visited several doctors and at first was told a bruise, then perhaps a torn ligament, or it could be inflammation. Do these exercises, wrap your knee, don't wrap your knee, then X-Rays, blood tests, and finally in February the same day as her dad George, Cat was diagnosed with Lupus SLE at the age of 14.

When Dawn (Cats' mom and Georges wife) asked Cat what we could do to help, she said she wanted to do something to help everyone fighting this disease. So, we started 1 Mora Step Closer to a Cure in April 2016 and participated in our first Walk to End Lupus Now! We received so much support that well honestly our eyes leaked, as Dawn would say. This year we have changed our name to 2 Mora Steps Closer to a Cure because that really just makes sense, we are walking for 2 Moras, Cat & George!

We would love for you to join our team and help us raise awareness, donations and HOPE for all Lupus Warriors!
Thank you for taking the time to read our families lupus journey (so far), for participating and/or donating! Thank you, thank you!

Below is more inforamiton about Lupus and why we walk!

Imagine a day when doctors can say, "There is a cure for lupus." Until that day though, there is work to be done. That's why I'm taking action in the fight against lupus. Join me as I participate in Lupus Foundation of America's Walk to End Lupus Now(tm) in [city] to raise critical funds for the estimated 1.5 million people living with lupus in the United States.

Will you make a donation to help me reach my personal fundraising goal and support the Foundation's efforts to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus? A generous contribution of $25 or $55 can make a definite impact. What's more, if your employer offers a Matching Gift Program to employees, you may be able to double your contribution with just a little bit of paperwork. Trust me, it's worth the effort! Every single dollar counts.

Did you know?

* Lupus is a mysterious and misunderstood autoimmune disease. It strikes without warning, affects each person differently, and has no known causes or cure.
* 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.
* While lupus can strike anyone at any time, 90% of people living with lupus are women. Women of color are at especially high risk.
* Only one drug has ever been developed and approved by the US Food and Drug Administration specifically to treat the disease.

Together, we can solve the cruel mystery of lupus. Thank you for your generosity!