Marlene's Kaleidoscope
Working Towards a Brighter Future
Empowering people by providing information about Lupus & offering support so that their voices can be heard in service of creating a better quality of life.
ADOPT-A-BUTTERFLY FAMILY
Marlene’s Kaleidoscope knows that our community and the world is going through a lot. So, we would like to adopt three Lupus families for the holidays.
Marlene’s Kaleidoscope Holiday Adopt-A-Family will help by providing a holiday celebration for Lupus families. The adopted family would receive a Target or Walmart gift card for the children and a grocery gift card to help them purchase their holiday dinner and trimmings.
If you would like to nominate a Lupus warrior family that meet the following requirements:
Must be Lupus survivor in the greater Kansas City Area
Individuals and families facing hardships and would otherwise not have the means to have a holiday meal.
Please submit the family name and contact information using the form below to kbutterflies2017@gmail.com.
Information must be received on or before December 15, 2020.
If you would like to help or have any questions, please feel free to contact Karice Duncan at 816-985-2416 or La Tanya Pitts-Lipprand 816-977-5845.
Events
- Walk to End Lupus Now™ - Walk Your WaySat, Oct 10Lipprand HouseOct 10, 2020, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PMLipprand House, 5970 N Saline Ave, Kansas City, MO 64151Come walk with Marlene's Kaleidoscope. Walk to End Lupus Now events are conducted nationwide by the Lupus Foundation of America and its national network to raise money for lupus research, increase awareness of lupus, and rally public support for those who suffer from its brutal impact.
Lupus & Coronavirus (Covid-19)
For the latest information local and national please visit:
Who We Are
Our Roots
Marlene’s Kaleidoscope is dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by all forms of Lupus. We strive to empower people by providing information about Lupus and offering support, so that their voices can be heard in service of creating a better quality of life through research, public awareness, advocacy and education.
About Lupus
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune and inflammatory disease. In a patient with Lupus, the immune system that was originally designed to protect the body turns against itself. This in turn leads to inflammation, and chronic inflammation over time damages the body’s organs and tissues.
Although Lupus can affect almost any part of the body, the organs mostly affected are the kidneys, heart, lungs, and brain. Lupus can also affect the joints, blood vessels and skin.
Of those diagnosed, 80% will be between the ages of 15 and 45 years old. Lupus is a complicated disease to understand. When a patient is diagnosed with Lupus or is being tested for it, a number of questions can pop into their minds including:
“Where does it come from?”
“How long will I have it for?”
“Is Lupus contagious?”
“What are the different types of Lupus?”
To begin, the cause of Lupus is not yet known. It is believed that different pieces such as genetics, the patient’s environmental factors and/or triggers, and hormones might fit together to make up the mysterious puzzle that is known as Lupus. It is important to note that Lupus is not contagious.
Studies are being conducted to determine whether genes, medications, stress or certain viruses bring about the disease. Although there is no cure for Lupus at the moment, most cases can be effectively controlled with medication. Research is continuously being done on Lupus and new medications are being created.
Most Lupus patients lead active or semi-active lives. Lupus patients can have periods where their disease is not active, otherwise known as a remission period, and they can have periods where it is active, also known as a “flare up.”
Each Lupus patient is different and it is often said in the Lupus community that no two patients are alike. Over time, you will learn more about your body and how Lupus affects you.