For additional information:

Organization Contact:
Jo Dewhirst, Executive Director
BALF
(408) 954-8639
jo@balf.org
Editorial Contact:
Laura Chastain, Media Relations Director
(408) 954-8600
(408) 954-0204fax
frontdesk@balf.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 12, 2001

The Lupus Foundation of Northern California, aka The Bay Area Lupus Foundation (BALF), is ready to launch an exciting new program that will provide support groups for young people with lupus throughout central and northern California. After successful completion of the Foundation's one-year Youth Support Group Pilot Program and an extensive Facilitator Training Program, BALF is now prepared to help young lupus patients cope with growing up with this life-threatening and life-altering disease. Youth support groups should be available in the San Jose, San Francisco, Palo Alto and Sacramento area as soon as September 2001.

In December 1999, BALF started the one-year pilot lupus support group for young people at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital in Stanford. The program was designed to address the specific needs of young lupus patients. The participants in the pilot program, ages 16-23, met once a month to check in, share their experiences and discuss their concerns. Topics ranged from "The Medical Facts" to "Understanding the Social and Emotional Aspects" of living with a chronic illness. With the expert guidance of licensed social worker facilitators, Patty Soto Minder and Isabel Stenzel, these young women realized they are not alone living with lupus.

After a successful pilot year, the Foundation is enthusiastic to develop more youth programs throughout central and northern California making it easier on patients to get the support they need to cope with this difficult disease. One participant, Danielle Feldman, age 22, drove over two hours to attend the Pilot Program but hopes that other lupus patients will find their support groups closer to home. Danielle wishes "there were enough support groups for young people so that none of us had to travel more than a half hour to attend. Young cancer patients have nearly unlimited access to support groups, camps, educational resources, websites, retreats, tickets to events and special days dedicated to them. Young lupus patients need the same type of support system."

BALF held its first Youth Outreach Program Training on June 2, 2001. Future facilitators received an extensive 12-chapter manual that outlines many suggestions for group meetings, suggests helpful strategies on conducting these sessions and provides ideas for group projects, discussion topics and outside speakers. This extremely useful manual will be a very valuable resource now and in the future for all lupus groups. The youth manual and training video are available for all BALF sub chapters and other lupus organizations nationwide. Jo Dewhirst, Executive Director, stated "This has been a project in progress over many years. The results will be well worth the effort. We are most grateful to the Henry L.Gunther Foundation for the generous funding for this program."

About Lupus:

Lupus is a noncontagious disorder of the immune system that primarily afflicts young women in their child-bearing years. According to a 1994 nationwide marketing research study, 1.4 million Americans suffer from lupus. Lupus is more common than AIDS, sickle-cell anemia, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and cystic fibrosis combined. Lupus causes an inflammatory reaction to occur that can damage the skin, joints, or internal organ or organ system. It is chronic, lifelong and can be a life-threatening disease. The masquerading characteristics of lupus often delay the proper diagnosis in many patients.

About the Lupus Foundation of Northern California (BALF):

The BALF was established in February 1978, in San Jose to develop meaningful programs of education and personal assistance for lupus patients and family members. The BALF provides services to 22,000 individuals annually and the current membership includes 2,000 people. The Foundation's 16-page quarterly newsletter is mailed to 4,500 individuals throughout California and beyond. The BALF responds to callers wherever they may live, and thus has members throughout the United States and internationally.

Important services include an extensive website..www.balf.org; a library of 500+ medical articles; a video audio lending library; conferences featuring physician speakers; all day education classes in English and Spanish; educational materials in Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese; a Youth Outreach Program; a New You (self-help) program; and a statewide toll-free telephone line.

BALF has help establish 27 sub-chapters and support groups form throughout central and northern California. These groups range from as far south as Bakersfield and Santa Barbara to as far north as the Oregon border. BALF can be reached by phone at (408) 954-8600 or toll-free 1-800-523-3363 or fax (408) 954-0204. Visit the BALF website for further information...www.balf.org

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