About Us

Introduction

The Lupus Association is a community based counselling and advocacy service with over 1100 members throughout Australia. We are a non-government, not for profit, self-help organisation. 

We provide an information and counselling support service for those who have recently been diagnosed as well as those who have been living with lupus for some time.

History of the Lupus Association.
Founded by Colleen Hook in 1979 as the "Lupus Club", the Lupus Association met at the Royal North Shore hospital primarily as a support group. The first meeting was small but the Association quickly grew as people living with lupus became aware of its existence.

With the support of NSW Health the Association was able to employ a part-time administrator and membership grew well beyond 800 regular members. Continued growth has seen the Association take on a part-time Executive Officer, in addition to the part time Administration Manager, as well as Contract Administrative Assistants who are wage-supported by the Disability Employment Network. In recent years growth has been outside NSW and the ACT with membership growing in Queensland and Victoria. A bi-lateral relationship with the Lupus Group of WA has also been formed where information and resources flow between the two organisations.

 

Colleen Hook 

New members are always welcome!, please join the Lupus Association by downloading the New Membership Form


Membership entitles you to:
 - Four (4) newsletters per year 
 - Access to our books, Video, CD/Audio tapes from our library
 - Up to date information on forth coming seminars and meetings throughout metropolitan 
   and country areas.

What is Lupus? - Lupus is an autoimmune disease. A normal healthy immune system recognises and destroys foreign objects like bacteria and viruses. With autoimmune diseases, however, the immune system starts to attack objects that are not foreign. Hence the term "auto" (self) "immune."

For more information see Living with Lupus