The Lupus Foundation of America is proud to present a series of audio podcasts on various aspects of lupus during Lupus Awareness Month. A new podcast will be posted each week and will feature experts in the field of lupus research and treatment. The programs can be streamed live or downloaded and played on your MP3 player.

Week 1 - Understanding Lupus

If you or a family member has been diagnosed with or are being evaluated for possible lupus, you will want to know as much as you can about the disease. "Understanding Lupus" will provide you with a guide to lupus so that you can better understand what lupus is.

Featured Expert: Joan T. Merrill, MD, Director of the Clinical Pharmacology Research Program at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, and Medical Director for the Lupus Foundation of America, Inc.

Click this link to download this podcast to your computer for transfer to your MP3 player or music library.

Week 2 - Diagnosing Lupus

Unlike other chronic illnesses, trying to reach a diagnosis of lupus isn’t always easy. However, today’s physicians have more precise techniques and tests to detect signs of disease. You also play a critical role in discussing and managing your health: listen to your body, ask questions, and stay involved!

Featured Expert: John B. Harley, MD, PhD, Director of Rheumatology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and Professor, University of Cincinnati Department of Pediatrics

Click this link to download this podcast to your computer for transfer to your MP3 player or music library.

Week 3 - Treating Lupus

An array of drug therapies is now available, and this has increased the potential for effective treatment and excellent patient outcomes. Researchers continue to look for new treatments and ways to modify existing ones so they can diminish or eliminate side effects and improve the quality of life for people who have lupus.

Featured Expert: Richard Furie, MD, Chief of the Division of Rheumatology and Allergy-Clinical Immunology of the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, an Investigator in the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, and Professors of Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the Hofstra University School of Medicine.

Click this link to download this podcast to your computer for transfer to your MP3 player or music library.

Week 4 - Organ Involvement in Lupus

Lupus can affect any organ in the body, including the skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, and brain. The impact of lupus can range from mild to life-threatening. It is important for people with lupus to understand the many ways in which lupus can affect the body. They should pay close attention to the signs and symptoms of the disease and alter their doctor of any changes in health status.

Featured Expert: Diane Kamen, MD, MSCR, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Medical University of South Carolina.

Click this link to download this podcast to your computer for transfer to your MP3 player or music library.

Week 5 - Coping and Living Well with Lupus

Having lupus can make the demands of everyday life challenging. You will want to use that awareness to plan and to act in ways that limit or avoid the burdens, discomforts, and difficulties that lupus can cause, so that the illness does not stop you from doing the things you enjoy in life.

Featured Expert: Dr. Karen Cotenbader, Associate Director of the Lupus Center at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital discusses ways to cope with lupus.

Click this link to download this podcast to your computer for transfer to your MP3 player or music library.