2026 National Lupus Advocacy Summit
Registration is now open - join lupus warriors and advocates from across the country for the largest lupus advocacy event of the year! The 2026 National Lupus Advocacy Summit takes place April 19-21 in Washington, DC. Learn from experts in the field about the latest in lupus research, connect with hundreds of fellow advocates, and advocate to increase lupus research funding and advance policies that improve the lives of everyone with lupus. Don’t miss your chance to turn Capitol Hill purple - register today!
The National Lupus Advocacy Summit brings together the entire lupus community to urge members of Congress to support policies that will help people living with lupus. Come to Washington, D.C. and share your experience living with lupus with your elected officials.
Hear from the brightest minds researching and treating lupus and receive training on how to advocate for yourself. Attendees who arrive early on Sunday will also have the option to attend pre-summit wellness sessions focused on empowering people with lupus and their caregivers.
There's no other event in the world that brings together as many people affected by lupus as the Lupus Foundation of America's Summit. Be surrounded by those who understand your challenges and can help you manage them.
Meet with your members of Congress to tell your lupus story and urge them to join our fight against this terrible disease by supporting policies to improve the lives of all people affected by lupus.
The National Lupus Advocacy Summit is the keystone of the Lupus Foundation of America's comprehensive advocacy program that has generated more than $786 million in federal lupus research funding in the past five years.
Join us in turning Capitol Hill purple this April! Register today for the 2026 National Lupus Advocacy Summit in Washington, DC to learn from experts in the field about the latest in lupus research, connect with hundreds of lupus warriors, and advocate to increase lupus research funding and advance policies to improve the lives of all people with lupus.
We understand that traveling to Washington can be costly. It's important to us that we provide advocates with tools and ideas to help offset costs.
The Foundation will again provide scholarships for advocates to attend the Summit. Scholarships are extremely limited, and as much as we wish we could, we are not able to provide scholarships for everyone who applies. The application period closes January 23, 2026 – apply now.
The Foundation's Summit Fundraising Guide provides tools to help offset the cost of attending. The guide will help you budget for your trip, leverage the power of crowdsourcing, and much more.
2026 National Lupus Advocacy Summit
Welcome to Washington! Get checked in and grab your materials for the rest of the Summit. If you arrive early, join us for the new pre-Summit Wellness and Lupus sessions.
New This Year: Join us before the Summit kicks off for interactive wellness and lupus-focused sessions that offer practical tools and trusted resources to better manage the disease.
12-4 p.m. ET
Pre-Summit Activity (Optional) - Wellness & Lupus: Nurturing Your Mind, Body & Soul
Attendees who arrive in Washington early on Sunday have the opportunity to attend new interactive sessions, focused on empowering people living with lupus and their caregivers, providing them with practical tools to promote wellness, improve physical and mental health, and equip them with strategies to effectively advocate for themselves and others on Capitol Hill.
Lunch buffet 12-1 p.m. ET. Registration required.
6-7 p.m. ET
Welcome to Washington Reception
Hear welcome remarks from Lupus Foundation of America President and CEO Louise Vetter, enjoy light refreshments, and meet your fellow advocates and team leaders for your Hill meetings.
Get ready to learn! We'll get started early Monday with discussions to fully prepare you for successful meetings with your members of Congress on Tuesday – from the priority policies we will be taking to Capitol Hill and the latest advances in lupus research to telling your story in the most impactful way and navigating Congressional office buildings. Afterwards, we'll honor all of those who have made a difference in the fight against lupus during our annual Lupus Heroes Celebration.
8-9 a.m. ET
Summit Registration and Breakfast
9 a.m.-4:15 p.m. ET
Opening Session and Roll Call of States
Kick off the Summit with a welcome you won’t forget! Join us for a campaign-style opening session as lupus warriors from across the country share their advocacy successes and announce their presence in Washington, DC. Let’s see who has the most state pride!
Advocacy Asks
Receive a preview of the asks we will be taking to your Capitol Hill meetings.
How to Make an Impact on Capitol Hill
Brad Fitch, a former Capitol Hill staff member, author of “Citizen’s Handbook for Influencing Elected Officials,” and one of Washington’s leading experts in how to effectively communicate with Congress will lead this session and provide tips and tools you can use in your Summit Hill meetings and your advocacy throughout the year.
Panel: What Matters Most - The Latest Advances in Lupus Research and Why Your Voice Matters
Clinical research is vital to improve outcomes for people living with lupus. Join us to hear from pharmaceutical industry researchers and key opinion leaders about the latest in lupus research and drug development and how people living with lupus have an important role in making new treatments possible.
Capitol Hill Training
Lupus Foundation of America staff and experienced lupus advocates will lead this interactive training session, review the 2026 advocacy priority issues and prepare you for your meetings on Capitol Hill.
6:30-8:30 p.m. ET
Lupus Heroes Celebration
Join us as we honor our advocates, Ambassadors, and all of those who have made a difference in the fight against lupus. During the reception we will recognize lupus heroes, including presenting the Sandra C. Raymond Advocate of the Year Award and the Barlin Family of the Year Award. Reception fare will be served.
It all builds to this! Put on your purple and head to Capitol Hill for meetings we've arranged with your members of Congress. After your meetings, join us back at The Westin Washington, DC Downtown to debrief your day.
7:30-9 a.m. ET
Breakfast (Optional)
9 a.m.-4 p.m. ET
Congressional Meetings
Meet with your members of Congress on Capitol Hill to tell the lupus story and urge them to support policies that will advance the fight against lupus. Lunch on your own. Join us for a group photo on the Capitol Steps.
3-5 p.m. ET
Hospitality Room at the Westin (Optional)
Recap your day with Lupus Foundation of America staff and your fellow advocates, complete your Congressional Meeting Reports, and grab a snack before heading back home.
Raising the Profile of Lupus on Capitol Hill
Watch the following video from our 2025 National Lupus Advocacy Summit to hear from lupus warriors and advocates about what the Summit means to them.
Each year, the National Lupus Advocacy Summit unites lupus advocates to learn, connect, and raise their voice on Capitol Hill in support of federally-funded lupus research and education programs.
This multi-day event annually allows lupus advocates to hear from leading lupus researchers about the latest breakthroughs and what they will mean for people affected by the disease. Advocates are trained to tell their personal story to make an impact, advocate for themselves and others throughout the year, and how to hold effective meetings with their elected officials on Capitol Hill and at home.
The Summit concludes with lupus advocates heading to Capitol Hill to meet with their members of Congress and urge them to support important lupus policy issues, including federal funding for vital programs that are helping us better understand lupus and accelerating the search for new treatments for the diseases.
Whether you're attending the Summit to advocate for the first time or are an experienced advocate, the National Lupus Advocacy Summit unites the lupus community in support of common goals and provides a platform to fight back against this disease.
The 2026 National Lupus Advocacy Summit will be held April 19-21 in Washington, D.C.! Hundreds of lupus advocates will come together to learn about the latest in lupus research, connect with other advocates, and advocate for policies to improve the lives of all people affected by lupus.
For questions about the National Lupus Advocacy Summit, please contact Sara Chang at advocacy@lupus.org.
There are a number of ways that companies can support the National Lupus Advocacy Summit. By sponsoring our scholarship program, for example, you'll enable us to bring more people with lupus to Washington, DC to learn from experts in the field, share their perspective by participating in panels, and speak with their members of Congress about important lupus policy issues.
Contact our Corporate Engagement team to learn more about opportunities to sponsor the Summit, including hosting a table at the Expo or sponsoring educational sessions.
