SINCE the launch of the non-profit organisation (NPO), the ElihleSamu Foundation, it has been doing everything it can to drive awareness on the long-term autoimmune disease, Lupus.
Last week, the foundation hosted a Wellness and Lupus Awareness Day at the Morningside Sports Club.
The day took on added significance as May is Lupus Awareness Month and is a way to promote the understanding of the disorder and how it affects people.
Founder of the NPO Phume Mbanjwa was joined by guest speakers, Dr Thandeka Ngcobo and Dr Nokwazi Moffat, who spoke on the Lupus disease.
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“It has been a year since we launched our foundation, and the response for this event was awesome. Of course, we hope to continue reaching bigger audiences and bring awareness to the disease. We were lucky to have the eThekwini Health Unit come on board, along with our other role-players, on the day. I decided to start the NPO because of a very personal experience in my family. My mother, Bongi, was diagnosed with Lupus in 2018.
“Before her diagnosis, she was very sick, and as a family, we didn’t understand what was going on. I thought to myself, I can’t be the only person out there who feels like this. Because Lupus lacks significant awareness and there isn’t even a cure for it, I had the vision to start a foundation. We envision the NPO as a support structure, especially for lower income communities as they suffer the most. Lupus is very difficult to diagnose, and we hope to create a space where we can give back,” she said.
If you would like to find out more, contact Phume Mbanjwa on 078 574 0533 or elihlesfoundation@gmail.com.
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