UWRF softball to host “Hit for Lupus” game

Mark your calendars for 2:30 p.m. April 18, as the UW-River Falls softball team will be hosting its annual “Hit for Lupus” game against UW-Oshkosh.

The game will be held at the softball field located off Main Street behind the Knowles Center.

The UWRF Softball team is proud to support the efforts of the Lupus Foundation of Minnesota. Although more than 16,000 Americans develop lupus each year, and it's estimated that 500,000 to 1.5 million Americans have been diagnosed with lupus, many people have never heard about it. That was the case for UWRF softball Head Coach Faye Perkins when one of her older brothers and father were diagnosed with lupus. This disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect various parts of the body, especially the skin, joints, blood and kidneys.

“Sponsoring the UWRF 'Hit for Lupus’ game is one way that we can help provide information about lupus to increase everyone's knowledge of the disease,” Perkins said. “Education is key to understanding this autoimmune disease, learning how to recognize the signs and symptoms, and getting appropriate treatment. The hope is that one day there will be a way to prevent lupus and other autoimmune diseases.”

The Lupus Foundation of Minnesota is doing exactly that by working toward a vision of a world without lupus.

“Our mission states that while working toward finding a cure, we support those impacted by lupus and promote a deeper understanding of the disease,” said Lupus Foundation of Minnesota President Jennifer Monroe. “And events like the 'Hit for Lupus' game heighten awareness and serve as a step forward toward meeting that goal.”

If you would like more information on the disease or the Lupus Foundation of Minnesota, be sure to visit LupusMN.org, follow its Twitter page @lupusmn, or like the foundation on Facebook at “Lupus Foundation of Minnesota."