Will Smith's Influence On Lupus
Will Smith is a very well renowned actor, producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has created a name for himself. Throughout his life, he has grown in success and therefore in influence. People look up to Will and the choices he makes. This is one of the many reasons that it is so influential that he would bring attention to a problem not very many people are aware of: the autoimmune condition called lupus. Because of the influences in Will's life, he chose to bring attention to this disease. Did you know that in the past 40 years there have been no new advances in medicine for treating lupus? According to the Lupus Research Institute, there are over 1.5 million people in the United States alone that have been diagnosed with lupus ("Lupus Research
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Institute"). Of those people, 9 out of 10 are women. Women that are of a darker complexion have a higher chance of being diagnosed with the disease; it is about two to three times more likely). Lupus is a disease that has affected many families around the world, as a nation we need to work harder to educate and bring awareness to our society. Will and Jada Smith have dedicated a lot to recognizing lupus and bringing it to the forefront of media attention. Will Smith is a huge supporter of the Lupus Foundation of America. This is a very personal thing for both will and his wife. Due to the fact that Jada (Will's wife), saw the effects first hand. Her childhood friend was diagnosed with lupus. Additionally, Jada’s aunt is diagnosed with the deadly condition. Karen Evans, Jada's aunt, had a nearly fatal complication due to lupus ("Will Smith"). Because of the closeness to the disease, the 'Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation' hosted and funded a charity soiree to bring attention to the damaging effects of the disease. Also hosting the event were to models which had both been affected by lupus. This event raised over $150,000 to give to the cause of finding new technologies to deal with lupus (Johnson 2007). Lupus affects many families across the world and we should be uniting to improve the lives of people suffering from this disease.
Lupus discriminates between races and gender.
It is 2 to 3 times more likely for a black or woman of color to get lupus than it is a Caucasian female. It is also vastly more likely that women get lupus than it is for men. Of the people diagnosed with lupus, 90% are women and only 10% are men. At the moment, doctors and scientists do not have an explanation for why women are more likely to develop lupus or why it is three times as likely for a woman of color (Asian, African American, Latino, Mexican, Islander, Native American) to have this disease. Lupus is a very damaging chronic autoimmune disease that can target any part of the body from skin to joints and often times organs. In lupus, the immune system which helps fight off viruses, bacteria, and germs; stops working correctly. The immune system begins to produce auto-antibodies which can’t tell the difference between viruses and bacteria and good healthy tissue. This causes pain and damage in various parts of the body. Lupus is a disease that changes from being very ill to feeling better, it flares up randomly. Lupus usually occurs between the ages of 15 and 40. Lupus is not contagious. It is described as an overactive immune system, unlike cancer which is caused by an underactive immune system. However just like cancer lupus is often treated with immunosuppressant drugs that are used in chemotherapy. Because the body is attacking itself lupus can range from very mild to life-threatening. This is why we need to bring more awareness to this autoimmune
disease.
Lupus has many different effects in people’s lives. From a personal perspective, lupus has affected my family. My mom has been diagnosed with lupus twice and the second time being a couple years ago. In my mom lupus manifests as pain, pain that is so unbearable that she cannot physically do anything. My mother can't have a normal job, lupus has become her full-time job, it requires her to be very aware of the foods that she is putting into her body. In addition, she is chronically fatigued and is incapable of leaving the house for long extents of time. Not only has it affected her physical condition, but she also has to be extremely cautious about the people that she spends time with because her immune system doesn't work properly and so it can't defend its self the same way a healthy immune system does. Lupus is a very emotional disease it can stop someone's life right in its tracks and make them have to live with extreme restrictions. It often times causes depression. Lupus often times causes what is known to people living with lupus as a "lupus fog" it makes remembering things harder. Simple tasks like balancing your checkbook or remembering names and dates become challenging. "Cognitive dysfunction or impairment" is often extremely frustrating; it can be treated with coping techniques to make it less difficult but it will never completely go away. People living with lupus are also extremely sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun or other light sources like fluorescent lights. This is called photosensitivity; it can cause rashes, fever, fatigue, joint pain and lead to infections. Lupus has many effects that completely change the way people live their lives.
Despite that lupus doesn't have a cure, it does have a wide variety of treatment options. My mother uses a really strict diet of no gluten, no sugar, no red meat, and no dairy. She uses cannabis to numb some of the pain and to feel more at ease and relaxed. She also uses meditation and regular exercise. The Lupus Foundation of America recommends a few non-medical ways of dealing with lupus that include, acupuncture, acupressure, heat and/or cold applications, biofeedback, chiropractic adjustments, progressive relaxation, meditation, self-hypnosis, guided imagery, focused breathing, low-impact yoga, Tai Chi, regular exercise, staying busy with work or volunteer activities, and including play time in your day. They also recommend eating a strict diet and taking nutrition supplements. There are some medications that to help reduce the pain, light sensitivity, and lupus flares but there is no medication to cure it.
Worldwide lupus has claimed over 5 million people’s lives and changed them forever. Recently there has been more and more people speaking out about what life is like living with lupus and the struggles that it creates. Selena Gomez recently came out about having lupus, ending her tour and telling her fans that she needed to take some time to deal with her disease. If more people speak out about the effects that lupus has on their life, we can create a more focused energy to the research going into lupus and finding new treatment and hopefully a cure so that people can lead normal lives without having to put their life on hold like my mother was forced to do.
Lupus is a lethal defect in the immune system. You might be asking yourself: so what? Isn't it affecting me? But here's the thing, lupus could affect you at any point in your life. It can be caused by hormones, genetics, biomarkers, and/or your environment. Lupus is a heartbreaking condition that will strike faster then you know what is happening. Your body will deteriorate rapidly and without mercy. Imagine waking up one morning and being sick, but your sickness never goes away and just keeps getting worse. Imagine not being able to walk around, not being able to remember your mother's name or your child's birthday. Imagine being in uncontrollable agony that you can't leave your bed, that you feel the need to stay medicated or unconscious because that is the only way the pain is livable. With certain measures you can control the symptoms; the fatigue, the rashes, headaches, fevers, and confusion. You are forced to regulate your diet so that you don't eat any dairy, gluten, red meat, with limited or no sugar and salt. Spending your life surrounded by therapists, dieticians, and doctors, because without the right treatment of your condition you could develop arthritis, anemia, kidney problems, seizures, or potentially have a die from a complication due to lupus. If you had to live this way wouldn't you want people to care? To give a damn? To help support research to find treatments and cures for your disease? There are over 5 million people that are in that exact position, who need our help to make their daily life less painful and more tolerable. Lupus is not just a disease that celebrities like Will Smith or Selena Gomez can bring awareness to. Everyone has the power to make a difference and spread awareness for those that suffer from Lupus.
Work Cited
Johnson, Crystal A. "Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Tomiko Put the Spotlight on Lupus at Charity Event." Look to the Stars. N.p., 01 Oct. 2007. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.
"Lupus: Causes, Symptoms and Research." Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.
Lupus Foundation of America. www.lupus.org. Accessed 22 Feb. 2017.
“Lupus Research Institute.” Lupus Research Institute, lupusresearchinstitute.org/. Accessed 22 Feb. 2017.
"Selena Gomez." Selena Gomez - St.Thomas' Lupus Trust (symptoms, advice, research and news). N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.
"Will Smith." Will Smith - St.Thomas' Lupus Trust (symptoms, advice, research and news). N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.
Institute"). Of those people, 9 out of 10 are women. Women that are of a darker complexion have a higher chance of being diagnosed with the disease; it is about two to three times more likely). Lupus is a disease that has affected many families around the world, as a nation we need to work harder to educate and bring awareness to our society. Will and Jada Smith have dedicated a lot to recognizing lupus and bringing it to the forefront of media attention. Will Smith is a huge supporter of the Lupus Foundation of America. This is a very personal thing for both will and his wife. Due to the fact that Jada (Will's wife), saw the effects first hand. Her childhood friend was diagnosed with lupus. Additionally, Jada’s aunt is diagnosed with the deadly condition. Karen Evans, Jada's aunt, had a nearly fatal complication due to lupus ("Will Smith"). Because of the closeness to the disease, the 'Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation' hosted and funded a charity soiree to bring attention to the damaging effects of the disease. Also hosting the event were to models which had both been affected by lupus. This event raised over $150,000 to give to the cause of finding new technologies to deal with lupus (Johnson 2007). Lupus affects many families across the world and we should be uniting to improve the lives of people suffering from this disease.
Lupus discriminates between races and gender.
It is 2 to 3 times more likely for a black or woman of color to get lupus than it is a Caucasian female. It is also vastly more likely that women get lupus than it is for men. Of the people diagnosed with lupus, 90% are women and only 10% are men. At the moment, doctors and scientists do not have an explanation for why women are more likely to develop lupus or why it is three times as likely for a woman of color (Asian, African American, Latino, Mexican, Islander, Native American) to have this disease. Lupus is a very damaging chronic autoimmune disease that can target any part of the body from skin to joints and often times organs. In lupus, the immune system which helps fight off viruses, bacteria, and germs; stops working correctly. The immune system begins to produce auto-antibodies which can’t tell the difference between viruses and bacteria and good healthy tissue. This causes pain and damage in various parts of the body. Lupus is a disease that changes from being very ill to feeling better, it flares up randomly. Lupus usually occurs between the ages of 15 and 40. Lupus is not contagious. It is described as an overactive immune system, unlike cancer which is caused by an underactive immune system. However just like cancer lupus is often treated with immunosuppressant drugs that are used in chemotherapy. Because the body is attacking itself lupus can range from very mild to life-threatening. This is why we need to bring more awareness to this autoimmune
disease.
Lupus has many different effects in people’s lives. From a personal perspective, lupus has affected my family. My mom has been diagnosed with lupus twice and the second time being a couple years ago. In my mom lupus manifests as pain, pain that is so unbearable that she cannot physically do anything. My mother can't have a normal job, lupus has become her full-time job, it requires her to be very aware of the foods that she is putting into her body. In addition, she is chronically fatigued and is incapable of leaving the house for long extents of time. Not only has it affected her physical condition, but she also has to be extremely cautious about the people that she spends time with because her immune system doesn't work properly and so it can't defend its self the same way a healthy immune system does. Lupus is a very emotional disease it can stop someone's life right in its tracks and make them have to live with extreme restrictions. It often times causes depression. Lupus often times causes what is known to people living with lupus as a "lupus fog" it makes remembering things harder. Simple tasks like balancing your checkbook or remembering names and dates become challenging. "Cognitive dysfunction or impairment" is often extremely frustrating; it can be treated with coping techniques to make it less difficult but it will never completely go away. People living with lupus are also extremely sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun or other light sources like fluorescent lights. This is called photosensitivity; it can cause rashes, fever, fatigue, joint pain and lead to infections. Lupus has many effects that completely change the way people live their lives.
Despite that lupus doesn't have a cure, it does have a wide variety of treatment options. My mother uses a really strict diet of no gluten, no sugar, no red meat, and no dairy. She uses cannabis to numb some of the pain and to feel more at ease and relaxed. She also uses meditation and regular exercise. The Lupus Foundation of America recommends a few non-medical ways of dealing with lupus that include, acupuncture, acupressure, heat and/or cold applications, biofeedback, chiropractic adjustments, progressive relaxation, meditation, self-hypnosis, guided imagery, focused breathing, low-impact yoga, Tai Chi, regular exercise, staying busy with work or volunteer activities, and including play time in your day. They also recommend eating a strict diet and taking nutrition supplements. There are some medications that to help reduce the pain, light sensitivity, and lupus flares but there is no medication to cure it.
Worldwide lupus has claimed over 5 million people’s lives and changed them forever. Recently there has been more and more people speaking out about what life is like living with lupus and the struggles that it creates. Selena Gomez recently came out about having lupus, ending her tour and telling her fans that she needed to take some time to deal with her disease. If more people speak out about the effects that lupus has on their life, we can create a more focused energy to the research going into lupus and finding new treatment and hopefully a cure so that people can lead normal lives without having to put their life on hold like my mother was forced to do.
Lupus is a lethal defect in the immune system. You might be asking yourself: so what? Isn't it affecting me? But here's the thing, lupus could affect you at any point in your life. It can be caused by hormones, genetics, biomarkers, and/or your environment. Lupus is a heartbreaking condition that will strike faster then you know what is happening. Your body will deteriorate rapidly and without mercy. Imagine waking up one morning and being sick, but your sickness never goes away and just keeps getting worse. Imagine not being able to walk around, not being able to remember your mother's name or your child's birthday. Imagine being in uncontrollable agony that you can't leave your bed, that you feel the need to stay medicated or unconscious because that is the only way the pain is livable. With certain measures you can control the symptoms; the fatigue, the rashes, headaches, fevers, and confusion. You are forced to regulate your diet so that you don't eat any dairy, gluten, red meat, with limited or no sugar and salt. Spending your life surrounded by therapists, dieticians, and doctors, because without the right treatment of your condition you could develop arthritis, anemia, kidney problems, seizures, or potentially have a die from a complication due to lupus. If you had to live this way wouldn't you want people to care? To give a damn? To help support research to find treatments and cures for your disease? There are over 5 million people that are in that exact position, who need our help to make their daily life less painful and more tolerable. Lupus is not just a disease that celebrities like Will Smith or Selena Gomez can bring awareness to. Everyone has the power to make a difference and spread awareness for those that suffer from Lupus.
Work Cited
Johnson, Crystal A. "Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Tomiko Put the Spotlight on Lupus at Charity Event." Look to the Stars. N.p., 01 Oct. 2007. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.
"Lupus: Causes, Symptoms and Research." Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.
Lupus Foundation of America. www.lupus.org. Accessed 22 Feb. 2017.
“Lupus Research Institute.” Lupus Research Institute, lupusresearchinstitute.org/. Accessed 22 Feb. 2017.
"Selena Gomez." Selena Gomez - St.Thomas' Lupus Trust (symptoms, advice, research and news). N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.
"Will Smith." Will Smith - St.Thomas' Lupus Trust (symptoms, advice, research and news). N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.