There are more than five million people worldwide, mostly women, who face an unpredictable future as they struggle daily with the often debilitating health consequences of lupus. Lupus can be a potentially life-threatening autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the body’s own healthy tissue.  

The World Lupus Day Proclamation was first developed in 2004 when an international steering committee representing lupus organizations from 13 different nations met in the United Kingdom to organize the first observance of World Lupus Day. The proclamation is a call to action for governments around the world to increase their financial support for lupus research, awareness and patient services.

World Lupus Day Proclamation

Please join the international lupus community in urging your governments (all levels) to adopt and issue the World Lupus Day Proclamation.

Whereas, lupus is an autoimmune disease that can cause severe damage to the tissue and organs in the body and, in some cases, death; and

Whereas, more than five million people worldwide suffer the devastating effects of this disease and each year over one hundred thousand young women, men and children are newly diagnosed with lupus, the great majority of whom are women of childbearing age; and

Whereas, medical research efforts into lupus and the discovery of safer, more effective treatments for lupus patients are under-funded in comparison with diseases of comparable magnitude and severity; and  

Whereas, many physicians worldwide are unaware of symptoms and health effects of lupus, causing people with lupus to suffer for many years before they obtain a correct diagnosis and medical treatment; and  

Whereas, there is a deep, unmet need worldwide to educate and support individuals and families affected by lupus; and  

Whereas, there is an urgent need to increase awareness in communities worldwide of the debilitating impact of lupus;  

Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved that May 10, 2011 is hereby designated as World Lupus Day on which date lupus organizations around the globe call for increases in public and private sector funding for medical research on lupus, targeted education programmes for health professionals, patients and the public, and worldwide recognition of lupus as a significant public health issue.

Proclaimed This Day, 10 May 2011