Providing Answers, Support, and Hope in Texas
Your Texas Gulf Coast Chapter
We serve the Texas Gulf Coast as an independent Chapter for Lupus Foundation of America. Educate. Advocate. Cure. Lupus.
Your LOCAL giving of supports local Texas Gulf Coast area programs and education, outreach and support services across multiple communities. Working with County Health Departments, Community Clinics and Health Advocacy non-profits we aim to shorten to time to diagnosis through education of community members and health care providers - advocate for patients to receive high quality care regardless of ability to pay - and to help fund research toward one day - a Cure.
Join the FIGHT against lupus with your local support today!
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Mission and Purpose
- Educate - Community Members, Health Care Professionals including Community Health Workers - of the signs and symptoms of lupus to help shorten the time to diagnosis.
- Advocate - Supporting patients have access to high quality healthcare throughout their lupus journey, supporting their journey with referrals, appointment support, and direct patient advocacy. Additionally, working with state legislature to provide funding to support improved lupus patient counts to result in higher funding and access to appropriate care.
- Cure - To help fund research toward finding a cure for lupus including Stem Cell trials right here in Texas!
Help us Solve The Cruel Mystery!
Your LOCAL support has impact!
Lupus is a complex disease that requires a comprehensive strategy. Our Chapter's programs and services all have a common purpose: To shorten the time to diagnosis through education, advocacy and research. Thank you, for supporting our local fight against lupus!
LupusTexas raises money to support Individual #lupuswarriors and both local and national research. Supporting research is important not only financially -warriors may help by enrolling in clinical trials. Support the fight for the future of #NoMoreLupus!
Beginning October 26, 2024, LupusTexas is partnering with Hope Bio Research Foundation to fund stem cell trials for up to 15 lupus warriors. Based in Sugar Land, Hope Bio provides FDA approved stem cell trials utilizing a patients own cells to create a 13 month treatment regiment.
Your support WILL change lives with lupus!
Join YOUR LupusTexas Chapter at Health Fairs, Community Outreach and Awareness Events! Check our Events page to see when we are at an event near you!
Learn MoreAt LupusTexas, we know outreach events help share awareness and understanding of lupus. By bringing greater attention to the disease and its devastating impact we can help drive support for lupus and ensure community members know to ask their health care professional about unexplained symptoms - "What if It's Lupus?"
From YOUR Lupus Texas Gulf Coast Chapter
The board and our team continue to be inspired by the courage and determination of women, men and children living with lupus. Have you read some of the "Why We Walk" notices for the Spring Walks to End Lupus?!! WOW! These team captains are community leaders making a BIG impact on the fight against lupus!
We have passionate volunteer leadership in our board members, led by our Chairman Mr. David Wilson of Accenture, and all are dedicated to growing our programs and support of the over now well over 2.2 million living with lupus.
Some of our chapter programs include:
- Lupus Disease Information and Physician and Hospital Referrals
- Peer Mentor's and Support Groups
- Patient Advocates - for Doctor Visits or Hospital Support
- Health Care Professional Trainings (Including Community Health workers!)
- Speakers Bureau! - Lupus Community Leaders, Patient Ambassadors and Family Care Givers
- Patient Access To Healthcare (P.A.T.H.) grant program - supporting standard of care for #LupusWarriors
Ninety-nine cents of every dollar donated to your Gulf Coast Chapter stays in the Gulf Coast of Texas. We are an independent Chapter supporting Texas lupus education and advocacy providing valuable resource for lupus patients. We know that lupus is under-researched, under-funded and under-recognized.
Thank you, to all our volunteers and supporters. Your support by way of time, talent and treasure, has helped us navigate the last 41 years and forge a way ahead for all #LupusWarriors.
With deepest gratitude,
Anne Marie Blacketer, CFRE
Chief Executive Officer
Lupus Foundation of America
Texas Gulf Coast Chapter
2024-2025 Board Of Directors
Mr. David Wilson, Board Chair -(Accenture)
Ms. Naana Danquah Jefferson, Co-Chair (SLB)
Ms. Lynn Blandford, Treasurer (Sequiture Energy)
Ms. Cindy Barclay, Co-Treasurer (Quality Dialysis)
Mr. Biruh Workeneh, MD, Secretary (MD Anderson)
Ms. Medha Airy, MD (Baylor College of Medicine)
Mr. Rick Blandford (Private Equity)
Professor Jordan O. Williams (Texas Southern University)
Advisory Board
Dr. Ankur Kamdar, M.D.
Dr. Namieta Janssen, M.D.
Dr. Eyal Muscal, M.D.
Dr. Philip Waller, M.D.
Ms. Shanna Tedder
Ms. Ninfa Perez
Mr. Howard Stokes
Ms. Janell Long
LFA-Texas Gulf Coast Chapter Staff
Anne Marie Blacketer, CFRE, CEO
Amanda Crane, Event Manager
Jennifer Burke, Database Administrator/Annual Fund
Program Coordinator
Sara Schaeffer, Office Manager
Kevin Blacketer, Volunteer CFO