The Lupus Group of WA ( Inc )

office location : Level 3, N Block ( adjacent to the Library and Medicine Information Service ), RPH, Murray St, PERTH   - see map
postal address : Royal Perth Hospital, c/- GPO Box X2213,   PERTH 6847
phone/fax :   (08) 9224 3144       email :   admin@lupuswa.com.au
website :   http://www.lupuswa.com.au/

( Currently the office is attended part-time - Monday and Wednesday 8.00am till noon. It is advisable to first phone if you wish to access material, since many of our volunteers are lupus sufferers and are therefore sometimes unwell. )

The Lupus Group of WA was formed in 1979 as a voluntary non-profit organisation, and became incorporated in 1986. The Group is self-funded ( receiving no state or federal funding ) and thus relies heavily on memberships, donations and fundraising.
The Group was formed largely out of a desperate need for education and knowledge of lupus, as at that time very little information was readily available. Also, there was a need to develop a forum whereby problems and common issues could be readily discussed.
Formation of the Group has allowed services to be developed over the years to provide support and information to people with lupus, their families, carers and doctors, in the way of self-help support groups, educational material through newsletters, library resources, fact sheets, booklets, and the provision of seminars by medical and health professionals.

The Group continues to provide support and education to people with lupus, their carers and the medical profession, while promoting in the broader community an understanding of lupus and its impact on those directly and indirectly involved.
The Group is active at state, national and international levels. The Graham Reece Trust Fund (1991) and The Gabriele Vitale Memorial Fund (1987), in conjunction with fundraising activities, have resulted in the attendance at relevant international conferences and funding of research equipment and projects in the Immunology Department of Royal Perth Hospital.

The Board comprises :

	Chair	:	Rod Varney
	Treasurer	:	Greg Warren
	Secretary	:	Chris Hawkins
	Members	:	David Henderson, Dr Jean Foster, Dr Madelyn Chan, Dr Daniela Ulgiati, Malyque Neal, Matthew Owen,Matthew Lithgow.

Mission :
Act as the principal resource for lupus patients, their families, doctors and the community to provide educational awareness, support and facilitation of research activities.

Priorities :

Education and Community Awareness :

To provide community displays, clinical education seminars, media updates, newsletters and information kits to the general public, medical and political community to raise awareness, early detection and understanding of lupus.

Support Services :

To act as a source of support and information to people with lupus, their families and friends.

Continued support and funding is vital to the services that we offer.
Examples of ways you can help include :

• become a Member
• donations
• wills or bequests
• research funding
• volunteer in our office, education programmes or fundraising activities
• support group participation-a therapeutic process and develop new contacts
• attendance at our educational seminars
• support International Lupus Awareness Month in October each year.

Any support you give can be tailored for a particular project, awareness campaign or research into finding the cause or cure for lupus.
If you would like to help us then please print, complete and return this membership form. Ring the Lupus Group office 9224 3144 if you have any questions.

Member
Membership benefits include :
- receiving 'Lupus Lines' - a quarterly newsletter providing useful information, latest news and research updates
- Library access
- Support group details
- Readily available information and fact sheets, and
- Calendar of events/seminars.