The Lupus Foundation of America, North Carolina Chapter (LFANC) will be hosting its Third Annual Walk to End Lupus Now: Asheville on Saturday, May 17. The event will take place at Martin Luther King Jr. Park located at 50 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Check in begins at 3:30PM and the Walk starts at 5:00PM.

There will be a Kickoff Party and Team Captain’s Rally on Sunday, Feb. 23 from 1:30-5:00PM at Scully’s Bar & Grille located at 13 West Walnut Street in Asheville. The free event is an opportunity for attendees to meet other walkers and teams, share fundraising ideas, get new tips, receive walk materials, and learn how being a part of this event can make a difference in the community. Register online.

In 2013, 300 walkers and volunteers gathered at Asheville’s Pack Square Park for the Walk to End Lupus Now. Participants raised more than $21,000 and walked to raise awareness about lupus and raise funds for national research and local support services to help the estimated 3,500 people in Western North Carolina area who are living with lupus.

“We appreciate the ongoing support from the community in helping us make our annual Walk to End Lupus Now in Asheville a huge success,” said Christine John-Fuller, President and CEO of LFANC. “We look forward to another successful event this year and to bringing the community together to help solve the cruel mystery of lupus.”

The Walk to End Lupus Now: Asheville is one of four LFANC walk events across North Carolina and countless others across the nation. The other N.C. events take place in Raleigh (Sunday, April 27), Charlotte (Sunday, May 4) and Fayetteville (Saturday, Sept. 13). The Walks are conducted nationwide by the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) and its national network to raise money for lupus research, increase awareness of lupus, and rally public support for those who suffer from its brutal impact. Those interested in participating can register as an individual or with a team. There is a 1-mile route and a 5K route option. The suggested minimum fundraising goal per person is $100, which is the amount where participants can start earning prizes.

To RSVP for the Kickoff Party or to register for the Walk, visit www.lupusnc.org or contact the LFANC at 877-849-8271 or info@lupusnc.org.

About Lupus:

Lupus is an unpredictable and misunderstood autoimmune disease that ravages different parts of the body. It is difficult to diagnose, hard to live with, and a challenge to treat. Lupus is a cruel mystery because it is hidden from view and undefined, has a range of symptoms, hits out of nowhere, and has no known cause and no known cure. Its health effects can range from a skin rash to a heart attack. Lupus is debilitating and destructive, and can be fatal, yet research on lupus remains underfunded relative to its scope and devastation.

About the Lupus Foundation of America, North Carolina Chapter:

The Lupus Foundation of America, North Carolina Chapter is part of the national force devoted to solving the cruel mystery of lupus while providing caring support to those who suffer from its brutal impact. We work with local health professionals and volunteers to provide information and programs to ensure people with lupus and their families get answers and health professionals know about new means to diagnose and manage the disease. The chapter serves an estimated 45,000 living with lupus in North Carolina. For more information about lupus or the LFANC, visit www.lupusnc.org or call (877) 849-8271. For the latest news and updates, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.