Newswise — A National autoimmune disease multi-city conference tour arrives in Charleston, SC on Saturday, November 2, 2013. The conference “What Every American Needs to Know About Autoimmune Disease,” is one of a series of free patient forums hosted by the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA). Registration begins at 9:30am, the program begins at 10am and ends at 4pm. It will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn Charleston Airport’s Palmetto Carolina Room located at 5265 International Blvd. in North Charleston. Lunch is included with registration.
The conference series provides autoimmune disease patients, their families and friends, as well as the general public with information on autoimmunity as a common thread of 120+ diseases. Additional topics will include chronic illness coping skills, the latest in research for autoimmune diseases, and a dialogue on why it’s important for the general public to know their own family history of autoimmune diseases—as autoimmune diseases tend to cluster in families.
The speakers include Dr. Robert Phillips, Ph.D, the Director for the Center for Coping in Long Island, NY. There will be a wide array of topics covered by specialists and educators from the Medical University of South Carolina.
A growing concern worldwide, more than 50 million Americans are thought to have an autoimmune disease (AD). Women are at much higher risk than men as AD’s affect women 75 percent more often. Currently AD’s are one of the top 10 killers of women under the age of 65. Included in the 100+ autoimmune diseases are lupus, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Sjögrens syndrome, psoriasis, celiac disease, scleroderma, and type 1 diabetes. While the program is free, space is limited. Please register online: http://charlestonforum.eventbrite.com
About the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA)The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association is dedicated to the eradication of autoimmune diseases and the alleviation of suffering and the socioeconomic impact of autoimmunity through fostering and facilitating collaboration in the areas of education, public awareness, research, and patient services in an effective, ethical and efficient manner.
AARDA is the only national nonprofit health agency dedicated to bringing a national focus to autoimmunity, the major cause of serious chronic diseases. Approximately 50 million Americans, 20 percent of the population or one in five people, suffer from autoimmune diseases. Women are more likely than men to be affected; some estimates say that 75 percent of those affected--some 37.5 million people--are women. Still, with these statistics, autoimmunity is rarely discussed as a women's health issue.
For more information on autoimmunity and/or AARDA, contact AARDA by phone at (586) 776-3900 or on the web at www.aarda.org. ###
RSS