Everyone knows breast cancer awareness is pink. All the ALS organizations supported the ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’, now everyone is aware of ALS. It would be revolutionary if all the Lupus organizations around the World supported the same Lupus Awareness Campaign, maybe just for one week or one month. This strategy works with other causes, why not with Lupus? Greater awareness will result in more people donating to Lupus research and hopefully, this will lead to one day finding a cure for the disease.

Why should you sign this petition?

Currently, there are many different Lupus organizations, big and small, but nothing that unites them, nor their efforts. There is no global Lupus Awareness Campaign that is supported by all the Lupus organizations. Some Lupus organizations are different colors with different agendas/focuses. Lupus Awareness Month is even promoted at different months around the World. This creates confusion within the Lupus community. Our strength is in our UNITY, and we are stronger together. Lupus organizations can make a bigger difference by supporting the same Lupus awareness campaign together. Raising greater awareness than ever before through using social media, sharing the same message among its own network, resources, celebrity contacts, etc.

Please help us reach 2,000 signatures to encourage the various Lupus organizations around the World to support the same Lupus awareness campaign. Feel free to share this petition at www.UnityForLupus.com with the hashtag #UnityForLupus and get your friends and family involved also!

Thank you so much for your support.

Mat Simpkins, Founder of RunningForLupus.com

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Who started this petition and why?

I (Mat Simpkins) started this petition. Since the loss of my Grandmother, who passed away from the disease in 2011, I have become heavily involved in the Lupus community. In the past few years, I have run 4 marathons in an effort to raise awareness and funds for different Lupus organizations. I have experienced firsthand the lack of UNITY between various Lupus organizations.

What is Lupus?

1.5 Million Americans and around five million people worldwide, suffer from a form of Lupus. Lupus is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks itself. Although Lupus ranges from mild to life-threatening and thousands of people die from Lupus each year, the majority of cases can be controlled with proper treatment. However, there is currently no cure and very little awareness. More people have Lupus than Leukemia, yet not many people have even heard of Lupus. This is why there needs to be more awareness of Lupus.

What will happen once you reach 2,000 signatures?

Although our goal is 2,000 signatures, we hope to smash this goal and run the petition through October 1, 2016. When the deadline date is reached, we will write an open letter to Sandra C. Raymond, President and CEO of the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA), who is acting as the secretariat for The World Lupus Federation (WLF), urging all Lupus organizations around the World to support the same Lupus Awareness Campaign.