Lupus is now recognised as an important and common illness of modern times. It is a disease in which the immune system goes ‘wrong’ and becomes overactive. It can affect any organ of the body. Because the symptoms can be so diverse, including for example; fatigue, rashes, allergies, depression and kidney failure it is called the ‘great mimic’. Currently lupus is incurable.

The Lupus unit at St Thomas’ Hospital opened in 1985 and is now recognised throughout the world for its clinics, its teaching and its research. The St Thomas’ Lupus Trust is the charity that specifically supports the research and the Louise Coote Lupus Unit (the only dedicated Lupus unit in Europe) at St Thomas’. Today, our charity pays the salaries of 3 doctors, 1 PhD and a technician as well as all the research costs.

Website: www.lupus.org.uk

Registered Charity No. 1010523