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Lupus Patient Support Programs
Hospital for Special Surgery offers more lupus support and education programs than any other hospital in the United States. The department of Social Work Programs, in collaboration with the Lupus and APS Center of Excellence, brings together patients with lupus to help them and their loved ones cope with a new diagnosis, clarify treatment options, locate community resources, and provide ongoing support. Our programs are evidenced-based and we conduct frequent needs assessments based on patients’ input in order to determine our programs' impact, satisfaction and reach.
Related Departments and Services
Our programs are culturally tailored, offered in English, Spanish, and Chinese, and are developmentally specific. We use a peer based and interdisciplinary team model to enhance self-efficacy in managing lupus. Many of our programs include lectures by rheumatology experts and offer opportunities for group discussion.
HSS offers free programs that reflect our comprehensive approach to care for people with systemic lupus erythematosus. Through these programs, you can learn about your illness and learn to live more fully - both from health care professionals and from others who have the same illness.
LANTern® (Lupus Asian Network)
LANTern® (Lupus Asian Network) is a free national support and education program for Asian-Americans with lupus and their families. It is the only national hospital-based bilingual support and education program dedicated to serving Asian Americans with lupus and their families. Lupus, often “invisible”, can be isolating and hard to understand. LANtern is here to help.
SLE Workshop
The SLE Workshop is a monthly education and support group for people with lupus, along with their family and friends. The SLE Workshop is a support and education program inspired by the desire of people living with lupus to learn more about the illness and its treatment. This program has been ongoing since 1985 for people with lupus and their families and friends. Lectures by lupus experts are followed by an informal discussion.
LupusLine® Program
Lupusline is a free national telephone peer counseling service focusing on one-to-one support for people with lupus and their families.
Charla de Lupus (Lupus Chat)® Program
This is a free national peer health education and support program for Spanish-speaking communities with lupus. This unique national program has offered people with lupus and their families peer health support and education in both English and Spanish since 1994. This program specifically seeks to reach Latinos/Hispanics and African Americans with lupus and their families.
Charla Teen and Parent Lupus Chat Group
The Charla Teen and Parent Lupus Chat Group is a monthly in-person chat group for teens with lupus and their parents. It provides a safe and comfortable space to allow teenagers and young adults with lupus, and their parents, to share their thoughts, issues and concerns related to managing lupus. At the same time, participants receive support and education that can help them to better cope with lupus.
Lupus Support Program Summaries
- The Complex Problem of Pain
- Acupuncture for Lupus: Can It Work for You?
- Pulmonary Issues and Lupus
- Who Am I Now? Living With an Autoimmune Disease
- Managing Arthritis in Lupus
- Massage Therapy and Lupus
- The Importance of Clinical Research
- Oral Concerns in People With Lupus
- Lupus, Osteoporosis and Bone Health
- Eye Problems in Lupus
- Vaccinations and Lupus: What You Should Know
- Lupus Blood Test Results Explained
- Possible Environmental Triggers Associated With Autoimmune Diseases
- Nutrition and Lupus: How to Maintain a Healthy Diet
- Lupus and Your Emotions
- Lupus, Sexuality and Intimacy
- Lupus-related Fatigue and Cognitive Dysfunction: The Chicken and the Egg
- How Lupus Affects Multiple Organs
- How People with Lupus Can Build and Maintain Motivation for Healthy Habits
- Lupus and COVID-19: A Q&A Session for the LANtern® (Lupus Asian Network) Lupus Health & Wellness Day
- The Emotional Impact of the Pain Experience
- Lupus Fog – Changes in Memory and Thinking
- Lupus, Vasculitis and Blocked Blood Vessels
- Dealing with Uncertainty in Your Lupus Diagnosis
- How to Communicate with Your Lupus Healthcare Team
- Cutaneous Lupus and Lupus Rashes: What You Need to Know
- Infusion Therapy and Lupus
- Lupus and Fatigue
- Managing Holiday Stress When You Have Lupus
- Getting Exercise and Keeping Physically Fit While Living with Lupus
- Doctor-Patient Communication: Guidelines and Best Practices
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Depression
- Heart Health and Chronic Inflammatory Disorders
- Teens with Lupus – and Parents – Get Special Help in Chat Groups