Real Lupus Stories

Woman packing medication for the week.

Living with Lupus in South Africa: Challenging the Mystery This May Awareness Month

By on May 3, 2025

This May, Andrea’s Gift Foundation (AGF), a lupus-focused NPO, is facing lupus head-on. Encompassing their values, awareness, education and support, facing lupus head-on seeks to address the realities of living with lupus. Although healthcare professionals equip patients with ways to manage their lupus symptoms, living with lupus also means learning to navigate medical aids, make […]

Read More >>

Meet Chelsea Calder | Real Lupus Stories

By on April 2, 2025

Dating with lupus can feel overwhelming, especially when dealing with symptoms that impact self-confidence and social interactions. In this Real Lupus Story, one of our community members shares her journey of finding love after a difficult breakup and a lupus diagnosis. Her story is a reminder that love, support, and understanding can flourish, even when […]

Read More >>

Meet Angela Knight | Real Lupus Stories

By on February 2, 2025

Trigger Warning: This post contains a graphic image of a lupus rash. While it is included to raise awareness and provide an honest look at the realities of living with lupus, we understand that some readers may find it distressing. Viewer discretion is advised. Living with lupus is a relentless battle—one that Angela Knight knows […]

Read More >>

Meet Belinda Carstens | Real Lupus Stories

By on January 6, 2025

Belinda Carstens’ story is one of courage, faith, and finding joy even in the hardest of times. Since her lupus diagnosis turned her life upside down, she has faced every challenge with remarkable determination. Through the ups and downs, Belinda has rediscovered herself—whether it’s reigniting her love for music, embracing new physical goals, or inspiring […]

Read More >>

Too Weak to Wipe Your Bum by Daniella Djan

By on March 2, 2024

The nurse pierced me with her tired eyes. “Sit,” she whispered with such intensity that her veins popped on her forehead and her lips quivered. I sat on the toilet seat as she watched me closely. It must have been two o’clock in the morning and she was exhausted. Emotionally drained by my constant need […]

Read More >>

Visiting Dracula by Daniella Djan

By on February 2, 2024

Taking blood for a lupie is a nightmare. You’ve got the elastic around your arm and the nurse slapping your wrist as she says “No veins!” or “Wake up!”, or in my case “She’s so dark you can’t see anything!” Taking blood for a lupie is about playing the poking game. We are human pincushions. […]

Read More >>