Providing Answers, Support and Hope in the Southeastern US

I’m 44 years old and was diagnosed with lupus in 2017. I love having fun with friends and family. I do a lupus golf tournament fundraiser every year I’m just down to earth young woman that has really been doing little more traveling lately and I just want to help spread awareness about lupus and find a cure.

I am Jerlonda Jones from New Orleans and lives in Fort Lauderdale. A graduate of Grambling State University. Been married to my loving and supportive husband 24 years. We have 2 beautiful children Natalie and Cameron. I retired from Southwest Airlines after 25 years of service. I enjoy reading, attending church, traveling, cooking, baking, shopping, and spending time with family. I was diagnosed with lupus in 2016. It’s not something I was prepared to hear. In the beginning I felt very alone. With love and support of my family, friends and the lupus foundation it has given me hope and support to be able to manage my journey.

Tara Octaviano was born in Chicago, Illinois. She is the youngest of 7 in a combined family and also is adopted with 5 additional siblings. Growing up, she enjoyed sports very much. Her favorites were baseball and tennis. Music was also a fun hobby in which she learned to play the Alto Saxophone and performed in the high school marching band. Later after high school, she earned her associate's degree and decided to join the Army and Serve in the military like her dad and brother that served as well. The military has been a very big part of her life, and she was very honored to Serve. Tara now, serves as a Lupus advocate and Hope4Veterans helping women veterans with various needs. Also, she involved in church bible studies and church fellowships. She loves helping others and takes pride in Substitute teaching children as well. Her daughter Theresa is 21 and currently working towards her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in New Zealand.

Stephanie is someone who is always working to make her life interesting no matter how many challenges come her way. She has faced chronic illness since the age of three when she was diagnosed with pediatric Epilespy. Her parents took her to many doctors to see why she experienced chronic and consistent muscular and joint pain. As an adult, she continued the search for an additional ten years until she received her diagnosis of lupus. Although it has been a difficult road, she continued to fight to get her education which culminated with her doctoral degree. And fulfilled her goals to travel and find new challenges. Her current health challenges include Sjogren's Syndrome, and peripheral neuropathy. It still often feels like live in a world that doesn't always understand me or wants to limit what I can and cannot do. But I find new ways to make my world bigger and more fun. My latest adventure is learning how to knit. I was pleasantly surprised to find a community of yarn crafters who live with chronic illnesses. The last few years have been hard as I have managed a long-term flare. But I feel like I can still ask the question, "What's next?".