ALTHOUGH it is more common than leukaemia and multiple sclerosis, many people have never heard of Lupus, an incurable, crippling rheumatic disease which affects up to 30,000 sufferers in the UK.

Lupus strikes mainly women of childbearing age, with Asian and Afro-Caribbean women particularly susceptible. Symptoms range from joint and muscle pain, to heart problems, kidney disease, and frequent miscarriage.

It's not only members of the public who are in the dark about Lupus - many GPs frequently misdiagnose the condition or fail to spot it altogether, partly due to the disease's chameleon-like ability to mimic the symptoms of other conditions.

The Arthritis and Rheumatism Council has made Lupus the subject of its Arthritis Research Week to raise awareness of the disease and to highlight the strides being made by ARC-funded research.

The charity is also offering a free booklet to people suffering from Lupus. Anyone who would like a copy should write to the address below, enclosing a 9x6 31p SAE.

JULIE DODD, ARC, PO Box 177, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S41 7TD.

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