On February 6, my father, Jerry Wayne Summers, passed away from a disease very few have heard of or understand, Lupus. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can affect various parts of the body, including the skin, joints, heart, lungs, blood, kidneys and brain.
In an autoimmune disorder like Lupus, the immune system cannot tell the difference between foreign substances and its own cells and tissues. The immune system then makes antibodies directed against itself. For most people, Lupus is a mild disease affecting only a few organs. For others, it may cause serious and even life-threatening problems. Studies suggest that more than 16,000 Americans develop Lupus each year.

Although my father passed away from this terrible disease, something good can come from his death. During my fathers’ last weeks of care, he was attended by his Rheumatologist Dr. Kathy McKinnon, a leading research doctor for the Lupus Center for Excellence, located in Pittsburgh, Pa. Due to the severity of my father’s illness, his organs could not be used for donation, nor could they be used for research, but what we can do is help him make a difference.

The founder of the Lupus Center for Excellence has agreed to match dollar for dollar any donation made to the Lupus Center for Excellence that comes under the name of my father, JERRY WAYNE SUMMERS. Never before have donations come from the death of a loved one to this center for research to find a cure. Together, a cure for Lupus is attainable.

If anyone is interested in donating, mail it to The Foundation for the Lupus Center for Excellence, 2403 Sidney Street, Suite 235, Pittsburgh, PA 15203. Make sure you include Jerry's name so it gets doubled.

With love,
Laura
ps - pass this to as many as you can, lets see how much good we can do. I know my father would be proud.