Nectar News - Lupus Awareness

Lupus Awareness

by John LaGrosse

Sunday, 12 October 2008

"I used to sack quarterbacks," said former Jets Defensive End Mark Gastineau to an excited crowd. "I don?t care about quarterbacks anymore. Now I want to sack Lupus!" Gastineau was one of hundreds of people gathered at the South Street Seaport in New York City on Saturday morning, October 10th. The crowd had gathered in preparation for the 5th Annual ?Walk With Us To Cure Lupus? walkathon, an event organized in cities across the nation by Alliance for Lupus Research. ALS is a non-profit organization that aggressively raises money that funds medical research to prevent, treat, and ultimately cure Lupus. The organization is sponsored by Woody Johnson, owner of the Jets and father to a daughter with Lupus.

Lupus is a chronic and often devastating autoimmune disease in which the immune system turns against the body's own cells. After about an hour of preparations, mingling, and live music, the parade of people left the seaport walking towards Battery Park. All the various sponsored teams of families, friends, and co-workers wore different colored t-shirts, highlighting who they were walking for. One of these teams, "Team Turner" is led by Matthew Niskanen, whose been dealing with the disease since 2002. "I was in the Peace Corps living in the Dominican Republic, and every single joint in my body started to become sore," said Niskanen. When the pain became too extreme, he was sent back to the US and diagnosed with Lupus.

While battling the disease, Niskanen found out about ALR when his company, Turner Construction Company, was bidding on the Jets' West Side stadium. Since then, he's become 100% dedicated to fund-raising and finding a cure. "We may not find a cure while I'm around", he said, "but we must do the research now to help the generations after us." Niskanen has a milder form of the disease and is currently living pain free, but others are not as lucky. "For many Lupus sufferers, it attacks any number of organs," Niskanen said as he recalled a 12 year-old girl he met who was dealing with a collapsed lung. Inspired by those experiences, Niskanen has raised over $100,000 through 5 walkathons . These funds are enough to provide a research grant for about two years. Last year?s walk, in total, raised roughly $800,000 - $900,000.

Im Senephimmachack, coordinator for the "Walk With Us" event, was extremely pleased with this year's walk. "This is the fifth year of the walk, and I actually think this was the best so far." Senephimmachack, who previously worked on coordinating the AIDS walk, felt the energy of the people really made this year special. Like everyone else in the crowd, Senephimmachack has had a personal experience with the disease, watching it impact both his grandmother and his aunt. "That sold it," he said when describing his decision to work with ALR. Niskanen was also thrilled with the day's event. "It's great to have 25 of my friends, family, and co-workers come out and support me, which probably means the most to me."

For anyone who would like to support ALR, donations can be made at their website-http://walk.lupusresearch.org/site/TR/Events/NYC?px=1035435&pg=personal&fr_id=1990.

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