OMRF Recruiters, Legislators, Musicians, Businesses & Families Walk for Lupus

Saturday, June 4th at the OKC Zoo, Oklahomans will be walking to raise awareness and funds for the OK Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America at the 2011 Walk for Lupus Now. Registration starts at 8a. Call 405-427-8787 or visit www.oklupus.com.
By: Darla Shelden
 
June 2, 2011 - PRLog -- OKLAHOMA CITY - Walk for Lupus Now 2011 is about family and friends supporting people who live with lupus.  On Saturday, June 4th at the Oklahoma City Zoo, people from across the state will be walking to raise awareness and funds for the Oklahoma Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America.  Registration begins at 8:00a, Opening Ceremonies at 9:00a and the Walk will step off at 9:30a.

Master of Ceremonies for this year’s Walk will be Primetime TV News Anchor Andrew Speno.   Lupus is a cause that has special meaning for Andrew.  "Finding a cure for lupus is a personal priority for me.  My sister has suffered from lupus for years, and although she is able to manage it well with diet and exercise, I really want lupus to be something she never has to worry about.

As simple as it sounds, the key to finding a cure is money.  Medical research is terribly expensive, but with caring people like us who are determined to raise the necessary resources, we will find that cure,” stated Speno.

Sponsors for the 2011 Walk for Lupus Now are Phi Delta Alpha Sorority from the University of Oklahoma, Thru Tubing Solutions, Oklahoma Arthritis Center, Select Physical Therapy, Human Genome Sciences and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Xi Nu Zeta Chapter from Oklahoma City.  "We would like to thank each of our 2011 Walk for Lupus Now sponsors.  These sponsorships are one of our greatest resources that allow us to make a difference in the lives of those living with lupus," stated Lea Jensen, LFA-OK Executive Director.

Speakers will include State Senator Connie Johnson; State Representative Joe Dorman; Emily Stringer, Mrs. Oklahoma City who was diagnosed with lupus in 2007 and Anya Grether, Recruiting Manager for Lupus Family Registry & Repository-Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF).

“OMRF houses the largest lupus research biorepository in the world, the Lupus Family Registry & Repository.  LFRR has collected over 11,000 samples from lupus patients, family members and healthy controls since 1995 to help solve the genetic mystery of lupus.  Each year LFRR's team of recruiters supports the LFA-OK Chapter's Walk for Lupus Now to help promote lupus research and awareness,” stated Grether.

Live entertainment will be provided by the V8's Band, started by Paul Hollas and Dr. Jim Jarvis, a pediatric rheumatologist and research scientist at the Oklahoma University Medical Center, Callie Hansen & Alex Rivera from Norman and Devin Derrick.

Derrick, a country western singer from Edmond has been the opening act for musicians such as Reba McEntire, Alabama and Blake Shelton.  He will be appearing in the film "Cowgirls N' Angels," which is currently being shot on location in Oklahoma.  Derrick said, “I want to help those suffering with lupus in Oklahoma by supporting the Walk for Lupus Now.  This is the least I can do for such a worthy cause.

Krista Montufar, leader of Walk team 'Living La Vida Lupus' said, " As a wife, a mother, a member of the Chickasaw Nation tribe of Oklahoma, and a woman living with Lupus, the Walk For Lupus Now is very close to my heart. Funding and research for lupus is important globally, nationally and most certainly here at home in Oklahoma. The Walk for Lupus Now is a great way to support our Oklahoma LFA chapter and the residents that this disease affects daily."

Admission to the Zoo is free, there are no registration fees for any participants and all donations are tax deductible. And walkers get a free t-shirt for every $100 raised.  

Approximately 1.5 million Americans have lupus and of those, 90 percent are women. Lupus usually strikes women between 15 and 45 and is two-to-three times more common among black women. Hispanics, Asians and Indians also have a higher incidence of lupus.

The Oklahoma Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America is Oklahoma's only nonprofit voluntary health organization dedicated to finding the causes and cure for Lupus through research, education and training, public awareness and patient support.

“Our goal should always be to make each Lupus Walk our last, but rest assured, we will walk as many miles as we must to find a cure,” added Speno.

To learn more about lupus or to participate in the Walk for Lupus Now 2011 call 405-427-8787 or visit www.oklupus.com.

# # #

The Oklahoma Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America is the state's only non-profit voluntary health organization dedicated to finding the causes of and cure for lupus through research, education and training, public awareness and patient support.
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Source:Darla Shelden
Email:***@flash.net Email Verified
Zip:73105
Tags:Oklahoma, Walk, Lupus, Fundraiser, OKC Zoo, WalkforLupusNow, Omrf
Industry:Health
Location:Oklahoma City - Oklahoma - United States
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