Lynnore Thames has lived with lupus for over 20 years. She claims to have first felt the symptoms of lupus some years before the official lupus diagnosis. The first symptom Lynnore noticed was fatigue. As an older student at the time, she considered these signs to be usual life experiences. She was balancing work and school, leading her to believe that the fatigue was due to the stress she was experiencing.
Lynnore went on to pursue her law degree, but her symptoms worsened. It took years for her to receive a lupus diagnosis. This is a common experience of many people with lupus. The condition can be hard to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to those of other conditions.
Finding out that she had lupus made Lynnore want to meet other people living with the condition. It also led her to want to know more about lupus. She needed a place she could trust. An online search led her to the Lupus Foundation of America — an organization focused on bringing an end to lupus by fighting it together. This was in line with her belief that there is strength in numbers.
When Lynnore discovered that the organization was planning their first annual walk — the Walk to End Lupus Now — in New York, she volunteered and joined the organization. Every year, Lynnore and her fellow volunteers plan events attracting thousands to raise awareness of lupus and raise funds for research, education, and support programs.
Despite recent hardships caused by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lupus Foundation of America was able to hold a successful virtual event. Virtual events have presented new opportunities for more people to join their annual events. Lynnore also decided to do fundraising differently this time and received overwhelming support from family and friends — making it one of her best fundraising years yet.
