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EHE International and the S.L.E. Lupus Foundation Celebrate Lupus Awareness Month in Rockefeller Plaza

Posted on: Monday, 4 May 2009, 10:08 CDT

The Ad Council's "Could I Have Lupus?" PSA campaign featured in display window through May 31, 2009

NEW YORK, May 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The S.L.E. Lupus Foundation, a leading organization in the fight against lupus, is kicking off Lupus Awareness Month by unveiling a 115-sq ft educational display window at 10 Rockefeller Plaza. The window, viewed by thousands of visitors each day, was generously donated by EHE International for the month of May.

The display aims to build public awareness of systemic lupus erythematosus (also known as lupus or S.L.E.), a destructive autoimmune disease that is often misdiagnosed and misunderstood. More than 1.5 million American have lupus. Nine out of ten people with lupus are women -- most of whom are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 45.

To increase knowledge of lupus among young women, the display presents the recently launched Ad Council campaign, "Could I Have Lupus?" which features diary-like entries from real women with lupus talking about their mysterious symptoms of fatigue, pain, hair loss and rash. The campaign's tagline reads, "When you need answers, ask a doctor the right question. Could I have lupus?"

Lupus is a leading cause of kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and stroke among young women, yet 80% of young women in the United States say they have little or no knowledge of lupus, according to a national online survey from the Ad Council.

"May is National Lupus Awareness Month and the Rockefeller Center window display provides a highly visual way for us to educate people about the disease," said Margaret Dowd, S.L.E. Lupus Foundation Executive Director. "The message we want to communicate is that if you are a young woman and you feel ill on an on-going basis, go see your doctor and ask them if you could have lupus. We are grateful for the support and generosity of EHE International in helping us get the word out to the women of New York."

"EHE International is very pleased to be able to offer the S.L.E. Lupus Foundation this window to raise awareness and recognize signs and symptoms of this disease," said Deb McKeever, EHE International President.

About the S.L.E. Lupus Foundation

The S.L.E. Lupus Foundation, headquartered in New York City with a West Coast division in Los Angeles, is the country's preeminent nonprofit organization providing direct patient services, education, public awareness and funding for novel lupus research on the national level. To learn more about lupus and the foundation, call 800-74-LUPUS or visit www.LupusNY.org.

About EHE International

Since 1913, EHE International has been a recognized leader in employee and individual Preventive Healthcare Plans (PHP) specifically designed for the early identification of preventable disease and risk factors; clinical management of health findings; referral resources; and personal coaching intervention programs of adverse lifestyle behaviors associated with poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and smoking. Its nationally available PHP is a comprehensive, integrated approach to preventive healthcare for the reduction and management of future medical claims expenses. For more information, contact EHE International, 10 Rockefeller Plaza, 4TH Floor, New York, New York 10020; 212.332.3702; www.EHEINTL.com.

SOURCE S.L.E. Lupus Foundation

Source: PR Newswire

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