Lupus Foundation of America Walk to End Lupus Now® Events Bring Strength, Hope and Action to Communities Across the Country this Fall

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning in September, people living with lupus, along with their families and friends, advocates, supporters and community leaders will come together for the Lupus Foundation of America's (LFA) 2026 Walk to End Lupus Now® events. For more than 30 years, the Lupus Foundation of America's Walk to End Lupus Now program has united the lupus community to turn their power into action by registering for walks, forming teams, and raising critical funds and awareness to advance research, expand support services and resources, and bring us closer to a world free of lupus.

Lupus is a serious and unpredictable autoimmune disease where the body's immune system attacks its own tissues and organs. The chronic condition can cause inflammation, debilitating pain and damage throughout the body that can lead to death. Symptoms of lupus, including rash, joint pain, extreme fatigue and brain fog, impact daily life and can cause serious kidney, heart and brain complications. Approximately 1.5 million people in the United States are living with lupus, 90% of whom are women. Additionally, lupus and the disease disproportionately affects Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, and Asian/Pacific Islander populations.

Events will take place in 35 communities across the country this fall, bringing together people of all ages for days filled with connection, celebration and purpose. Walks feature opportunities to learn more about lupus, including resources and programs of support, connect with others affected by the disease, and support the LFA's mission through fundraising and awareness. Each step helps fuel progress in the mission to end lupus while creating a community where no one has to face the disease alone.

"Whether someone is walking for themselves, someone they know, or in memory of someone they've lost, Walk to End Lupus Now participants are turning their personal experience into progress," said Louise Vetter, President and CEO of the Lupus Foundation of America. "Together, our walkers are turning their stories into strength, power into purpose, and each mile into the driving force of the Lupus Foundation of America's mission – to end lupus.

Everyone can be a part of a Lupus Foundation of America's Walk to End Lupus Now by registering, forming a team, spreading the word or supporting a walker with a donation. To find a Walk near you, register, start a team or make a donation, visit walktoendlupusnow.org.

"Ending lupus depends on all of us," said Joseph Arnold, Chair of the Lupus Foundation of America's Board of Directors. "When we come together, we have the power to help people living with lupus get diagnosed more quickly, access trusted resources to manage their disease, and accelerate research into the next generation of treatments."

The Lupus Foundation of America thanks Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, for its support of the lupus community as the National Presenting Sponsor of the 2026 Walk to End Lupus Now® program. 

About the Lupus Foundation of America

The Lupus Foundation of America is the premier patient advocacy organization devoted to solving the mystery of lupus, a devastating autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks organs throughout the body, while giving caring support to those who suffer from its brutal impact. Through a comprehensive program of research, education, and advocacy, we lead the fight to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus. Learn more about the Lupus Foundation of America at lupus.org. 

Contact: 
Shannon Brown
[email protected]
(202) 763-5485

SOURCE Lupus Foundation of America, Inc.