Lupus Foundation of America Launches Online Lupus Support Community
Today, the Lupus Foundation of America in partnership with Inspire, unveiled LupusConnect™, an online lupus community where individuals with lupus and their loved ones can engage with others like them to share experiences, find emotional support and discuss practical insights for coping with the daily challenges of the disease.
LupusConnect is an easy-to-use, online platform that encourages its community members to ask questions, reply to posts and read about others' experiences in a safe and comforting community. It can be accessed directly at LupusConnect.Inspire.com, or through the National Resource Center on Lupus.
Research concluded last year by the Lupus Foundation of America showed that the majority of people impacted by lupus are looking for social support and assistance coping with this disease. Specifically, they are looking for a resource where they can connect online with other people living with lupus. Based on this input and conversations with constituents, the Lupus Foundation of America partnered with Inspire to leverage its social health network and build an online community that brings together people affected by lupus to share their stories and learn from the experiences of other people impacted by this devastating and life-altering disease.
“No matter how isolated lupus can make people feel, LupusConnect offers people the opportunity to express their fears, frustrations, and hopes with others who understand lupus firsthand,” said Sandra C. Raymond, Lupus Foundation of America CEO. “We are excited to partner with Inspire and to continue our commitment to providing people impacted by lupus with access to high-quality resources and support services.”
People affected by lupus from around the globe are invited to join LupusConnect at no charge. Once someone signs-up to be a member, they will experience a positive and welcoming environment with 24/7 access to the community. Discussions cover a wide array of lupus-related topics, and include posts by members offering practical tips and resources that they have found useful for daily living with lupus. Members also have the ability to personalize their profile, follow specific posts of interest, engage in group discussions or direct messaging of members, and can add others as friends.
“In my experience, I’ve found that no matter what I'm going through with lupus, physically or emotionally, chances are that someone online has also gone through it,” said Joanna Mechlinski, who was diagnosed with lupus in 2002. “Within moments, I can connect with people who can give me advice or just empathize in a way that most healthy people can't. With the launch of this new lupus online community, I hope to be able to make some new friends who understand what I'm going through.”
With more than 100 national patient advocacy organization partnerships and over one million members, Inspire provides valuable experience in the social healthcare space and offers an authentic platform for members to engage with one another.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Lupus Foundation of America, as it’s the leading national voluntary health organization for lupus,” said Inspire CEO Brian Loew. “Together, we have built a powerful social support platform designed specifically for people impacted by lupus. We are proud that through LupusConnect, we are supporting the Foundation’s efforts of advancing lupus research, and expanding resources and support for patients.”
Designed with the user in mind, LupusConnect offers support to all its members without regard to location, background or status. Members have full control of their personal information, and must adhere to a strict privacy policy and terms of use. Over time, the resources and features on LupusConnect will continue to evolve based on the interests and needs of the community.
About Inspire
Inspire (www.Inspire.com) is the largest patient engagement platform in the United States. Partnering with over 100 organizations including the American Lung Association, Genetic Alliance, National Psoriasis Foundation, Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance, and the Arthritis Foundation, Inspire creates and manages support communities for more than one million patients and caregivers, and helps industry connect to members for the purpose of clinical research, market research, and engagement.