May is Lupus Awareness Month in South Africa, and on 10 May, World Lupus Day, the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness joins the global community in spotlighting this complex and often misunderstood autoimmune disease.
This year's theme, Belonging. Belief. Breakthroughs, not only celebrates the strength and resilience of those living with lupus but also emphasises the critical need for public understanding and scientific advancements in treating the disease.
Among those who exemplify this spirit is Dr Deepthi Raju Abraham, a passionate paediatric rheumatology and immunology specialist at Tygerberg Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University.
Diagnosed with lupus at the age of 27, Dr Abraham's experience offers a unique perspective as both a medical professional and a patient battling the disease.
I was diagnosed with lupus at the age of 27, which presented itself as arthritis, skin rashes, and features of neuro lupus. As a paediatric rheumatologist/immunologist and a lupus warrior, I find myself uniquely positioned to understand the struggles and triumphs faced by my patients, she recalls.