Throughout October The Priory Rooms proudly supported the charity Lupus UK in their Awareness Month, as better awareness of Lupus is needed in the UK to reduce the delay in diagnosis.

Photo: Business Development Manager Beth Reynolds & Conference Co-ordinator Hannah Baynes with flyers and leaflets from Lupus UK’s campaign

The Priory Room’s Atrium displayed booklets and posters from Lupus UK explaining the symptoms of Lupus, with advice and support for patients living with the illness. Items were available to purchase including bookmarks, badges and car stickers to make a donation towards the charity’s work.

A recent survey by Lupus UK of over 3,000 people showed that the average number of years between somebody experiencing their first symptom and receiving a diagnosis of lupus is 7.5 years. During this time patients are unlikely to receive the necessary treatment to lessen the impact of the main symptoms and to limit potential damage to the kidneys, heart, lungs or brain.

Lupus is an illness of the immune system, the body’s defence mechanism begins to attach itself through an excess of antibodies in the blood stream, causing inflammation and damage in the joints, muscles and other organs.

Lupus UK organised an “Awareness Month” throughout October with the Primary Care Rheumatology Society and The Royal College of General Practitioners to increase awareness of symptoms amongst GPs and patients. The Priory Rooms hoped by supporting the campaign their many conference room users would learn valuable information about the illness.

By the amount of flyers and booklets taken away from the Atrium display, it is fair to say a great quantity of visitors took an interest in finding out more about Lupus which may be life-changing for themselves or others!

The Priory Rooms’ conference co-ordinator Hannah Baynes, who has a family member with Lupus, was delighted with the amount raised saying “Thank you to all of our meeting and conference room users throughout October who have kindly donated to Lupus UK, I know every penny will help towards faster diagnosis and improving treatment.”

For more information about Lupus UK and the illness, please visit their website http://www.lupusuk.org.uk/