My granddaughter has Systematic Lupus. She is 18 years old now and was diagnosed when she was 12. As I am sure anyone can imagine that was a difficult time in her young life as we were not knowledgeable of this disease or the severe effects to her internal system. It was not diagnosed immediately she was in the hospital for two weeks before the diagnoses was defined. If it was not for the research that the Doctors conducted and the many test that was done on her, the cause of the disease would have possible gone unknown and the treatment not given as soon as it was to fight her systems. She is currently participating in a research program that involves looking for the causes of the disease and what ethnic groups are mostly affected. In participating in this research, Javon has had to complete several test .One of the test included physical endurance, another concentrated on her mental state of having this illness. She is proud to be a part of this project, in her words I am doing my part for other children with this disease. I am so very proud of her strength and determination.

 Javon is now 18 and will graduate from High School in 4 months, is currently attending an Early College school which in August of this year she will also receive her AAS in Business Management.  Although there is no cure for Lupus at this time, there is treatment that extends her life and I am glad there is continuous research in this area and hopefully if not in my lifetime but in hers , there will be a cure.