Save the Michigan Lupus Foundation
The Michigan Lupus Foundation launched an urgent capital campaign to raise emergency funds to ensure the nonprofit is able to continue offering support services for those with lupus in the state of Michigan. The foundation is projected to be operational through the summer of 2026. We are hopeful for the future, but we’re not out of the woods yet.
This past year, the Michigan Lupus Foundation launched an urgent capital campaign after national funding cuts to patient groups like ours across the country. As we faced having to close our doors, the lupus community rallied. You donated, volunteered, shared and believed in our mission to provide essential services to those living with lupus in Michigan. Because of you, the Michigan Lupus Foundation is still here. The foundation is projected to be operational through the summer of 2026.
We are hopeful for the future, but we’re not out of the woods yet.
Having a stable foundation means lupus patients across Michigan can continue to access vital support groups, patient education and advocacy resources. It means newly diagnosed individuals will not face lupus alone. It means our voice for lupus awareness remains strong in the Michigan community. Every day, lupus patients turn to us for help and our work depends on your continued support. Fulfilling our mission wouldn’t be possible without the help of generous contributions from the community.
Your donation can make a world of difference in the fight against lupus. Your contribution ensures the Michigan Lupus Foundation remains a lifeline for those who need it most. Together, we can build a future for 2026 and beyond.
The Impact of Your Donation
Charitable donations made during the capital campaign will help the foundation provide regular support services while the longevity of the foundation is continuously evaluated. To continue operating beyond 2026, the foundation still needs your help. Every dollar brings us closer to securing the future of the foundation and the essential services that thousands of Michiganders living with lupus rely on.
Donations to the Michigan Lupus Foundation directly support services that are vital to the Michigan community. The foundation provides financial and informational resources for patients, caregivers and healthcare providers including support groups, counseling services, financial assistance, advocating with lawmakers at the state and federal level to amplify the patient voice, funding state and nationwide research as well as hosting awareness and educational events across the entire state of Michigan.
Fundraising for lupus is necessary to drive patient initiatives and provide support and services to those who need it. The Michigan Lupus Foundation provides a community for people living with lupus that is crucial to disease management. It provides an essential support network and safe space where individuals can share experiences, access information, gain emotional support and discuss challenges and coping mechanisms related to managing the disease. Those with lupus often feel isolated as lupus symptoms can be invisible and difficult for others to understand. Connecting with others who face similar challenges, either virtually or at in-person events, can alleviate feelings of isolation and provide emotional validation, which is imperative for mental health. By providing a sense of belonging and support, a lupus community can positively impact the overall quality of life for individuals with lupus.
Helayne Shaw, Huntington Woods MI
“I was diagnosed with lupus 21 years ago. My journey actually started 4 years earlier with an inconclusive but suspicious lung mass. After a lung resection and 90-day hospital stay, infectious disease and my critical care pulmonologist said I have some type of autoimmune issue but symptoms don’t equal any specific one. They ruled out 15+ ones and sent me to Mayo Clinic to rule out Wegeners. After Thyroid surgery and brain tumor/craniotomy, 3 years later my blood work screamed lupus. Never knowing anyone with the disease I turned to Google, a scary place to seek information.
It wasn’t until years later that I found the MI Lupus Foundation. After a year of being able to share in conversations with people “who can empathize with what this chronic invisible disease does-I felt seen.” I became a board member, then executive board member and active participant. I’ve been able to help others, raise awareness and become part of a community. I no longer feel like I’m on an island alone with this disease. I’m feel fortunate to have found this invaluable resource for Lupus (and my complimentary Sjogrens, Fibromyalgia, Thyroid, Raynaud’s etc.) and support. Love and very gentle hugs to all lupus warriors - Helayne”
Katie Groover, Newaygo MI
“My name is Katie Groover and I have had Lupus for 25 years. I was 14 years old when I was first diagnosed, and absolutely no one I knew had even heard of lupus. We were told there was not a cure, hopefully medications could help, and that I would eventually die from my disease. For many years, I only had my physician and my parents for support. The Michigan Lupus Foundation truly has given me hope where it never existed before. Through their educational symposiums I have learned incredible ways to better my health, and through their support groups and awareness walks, I finally feel as if I am not alone in fighting this battle. I have been able to join the foundation in advocating for lupus patients at both a state and federal level, and have been witness to their aid to patients financially struggling to afford their medications. I have met a second family in these fellow Lupus Warriors. Please help us save the Michigan Lupus Foundation, so they can continue to lift up and support Lupus patients everywhere.”
Stephanie Houseman, Grand Rapids MI
“I was diagnosed with lupus in high school at the age of 16. It was 2008, and smartphones were non-existent back then. I remember my mom bringing her notebook to the hospital with us to take notes from the doctors to later research. Once I received my diagnosis, I had no idea what my future would look like. The MI Lupus Foundation was a resource for me to learn more about the disease and find ways to help calm flares. I’m really lucky to have an amazing group of people who support me along my health journey, but not everyone has that. The foundation gives us all a place to confide in each other and have a community of people who understand the emotional and physical battle of living with Lupus. My dream was always to be able to tell people “I have lupus” without them asking me what lupus is. The more I talk about the disease, the less I find myself having to explain what lupus is. I find it remarkable how the advocacy and awareness has grown so much with the help of the foundation. The work we do has made an impact on newly diagnosed patients and patients who have been battling for years. Our work is not done, and we need to save the MI Lupus Foundation!”
Kimberly LaPanne, Wayland MI
“I've been involved with the Michigan Lupus Foundation since 2017. This foundation has given me a community of friends and connection of other going through similar experiences that others will never understand. The instant bond you create with someone who is going through the same experiences is a powerful unspoken friendship that can spark instantly. I remember meeting my mentor, Donna Oram, for the first time at a symposium. I knew that moment we had a forever connection that you are lucky to get in a lifetime. I knew I found my home! This is why foundations like this are so important. Without support like this, we are alone. We don't have all the friends I have been so blessed to meet along the way. I have met so many from so many different areas too; and with an invisible illness we can feel so alone, so support and friendship is so important.”
Paul Lang, Ada MI
“The Michigan Lupus Foundation is a vital resource to assist lupus warriors in many ways. With the potential of actually finding treatment that would render patients pain free so close on the horizon, it is more important than ever to continue their work.”
About Lupus
It is estimated over 14,000 Michiganders have been diagnosed with some form of lupus. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes the body to attack its own healthy tissues and organs. It can affect any part of the body causing widespread pain and inflammation. People with lupus often suffer from joint pain, extreme fatigue and organ damage. Diagnosing lupus can take 2-6 years on average, per patient since it can often mimic other diseases and there is not one conclusive test. Lupus primarily affects young women between the ages of 15-45 years old and occurs more frequently in women of African American, Hispanic or Asian descent. More people have lupus than cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, sickle-cell anemia and cystic fibrosis combined. Two-thirds of the U.S. population does not know what lupus is, making it one of the foundation’s top priorities to increase awareness about this debilitating disease. There is currently no cure for lupus.
About the MI Lupus Foundation
The Michigan Lupus Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that exists to improve the quality of life for those living with lupus through support, education and research with the goal of finding a cure. The foundation provides financial and informational resources for patients, caregivers and healthcare providers including support groups, counseling services, financial assistance, advocating with lawmakers at the state and federal level to amplify the patient voice, funding state and nationwide research as well as hosting awareness and educational events across the entire state of Michigan. The Michigan Lupus Foundation has been continually serving Michigan since 1974 and is working to build a brighter future for all lupus patients and their families. For more information, visit http://milupus.org.