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LUPUSCHICK
MARIA MONGIARDO
The immune system has been described by experts as one of the most miraculous systems in the human body. Every day, through a vast and intricate communication network, its cellular army fights off a constant onslaught of the most vicious foreign invaders that would do us harm. Every now and then, however, the immune system misidentifies a part of itself as a foreign invader and overreacts—causing damage to the very organs and body it’s designed to protect. That overreaction is what happens in most autoimmune diseases.
One activist in the study of autoimmune disease is Marisa Zeppieri—a journalist, blogger, and founder of the nonprofit LupusChick. Marisa runs her nonprofit, all while dealing with lupus herself.
As a chronic autoimmune disease that causes your immune system to attack itself, lupus is usually brought on in response to a combination of factors, including hormones, genetics, and the environment. Some symptoms of lupus include fatigue, joint pain, fever, and a butterfly-like rash.
LupusChick’s Facebook page is incredibly active, with more than thirty-nine thousand likes and with posts that have reached more than six hundred thousand people—on a monthly basis. Marisa provides advice, posts uplifting quotes, has given five college scholarships to lupus patients, and is a huge inspiration in the autoimmune community.
Marisa’s daily reminders run the gamut, from #LoveYourself to #SpreadLupusAwareness. And she was most gracious in giving Channel Kindness an in-depth Q&A interview.
Q: Can you talk about the acts of kindness you do every day?
A: I believe kindness can be shown in a variety of ways, big and small. It starts with a caring and compassionate heart. I’ve always had the desire to help people, especially those who were struggling in some way. Whether it is helping an elderly person put heavy groceries in his car or rescuing a stray and finding it a loving home, putting yourself out there doesn’t require much and the reward is great—you’ve just made the world a better place in some small way and you loved on someone with no expectation.
Q: With your diagnosis, do you have time for putting yourself out there?
A: In my world of LupusChick, my acts of kindness typically revolve around spending time with men and women who are just diagnosed and frightened. Giving them a chance to talk about their fears and ask questions is so cathartic to them, and it brings me great joy to share the experiences I have had knowing they might be able to help someone. We also raise money to help patients—for someone needing money to afford prescription medication, helping a woman find shelter, raising money for a college scholarship program. These are a few examples; the kindest act is just being there. Time is such a precious commodity. To be willing to give up your free time to serve others and expect nothing in return can fill your heart with a joy that is almost unexplainable.
Q: Why is being kind important to you?
A: Doing things for others takes you out of your reality, if even for a moment. It causes you to focus less on yourself and your situation and gives you a glimpse into the life and/or situation of another person. Showing kindness can also be life-changing for someone—it may be the first time anyone has treated them in that manner.
Q: What’s one act of kindness you performed that you believe has affected many people?
A: I think creating LupusChick has been my “greatest” act of kindness in terms of reach. These are autoimmune patients, their caregivers, spouses, etc. We serve as a safe space for people to ask questions, share experiences, help one another, plus we provide resources, free giveaways and products that help patients, scholarships, and more. It is a great example to show others that … taking a leap of faith and creating something that can help someone can have a much greater effect on society than you ever imagined!
Q: What are ways you suggest to people who want to perform acts of kindness?
A: Volunteering is always a great way to show people kindness, help others, build relationships … the key is being willing to take time out of your day and be willing to give of yourself and expect nothing in return. Whether you take a meal over to someone who is sick, offer to babysit for a single parent who you know could use a break, or visit the elderly who are in a nursing home, the opportunities are endless. You can also look for a need that isn’t being met.
Looking for an opportunity to fulfill a need that wasn’t being met, in fact, was what Marisa did with LupusChick years ago. Social media and blogging were just getting popular and, as she noted, “It was the perfect time to create a community of support and encouragement when most patients felt alone.”
There are so many ways to be proactive when you have an autoimmune disease—including taking precautions to avoid triggering attacks and adopting nutrition plans that help minimize inflammation. Similarly, you can be proactive in pursuing ways to be kind to yourself and to others who are going through the same thing as you.
This disease hits very, very close to home for my family—thank you for profiling Marisa and her work at LupusChick, Maria. LupusChick sounds incredible. Thank you for building a community for lupus patients, caregivers, and loved ones to ask questions, find resources, and connect with one another for support. I love how you said the kindest act is just being there, sitting next to someone, together on the good and bad days. I hope that we each find that, and I encourage you to learn more about chronic illness by checking out LupusChick. Be sure to also check out another organization near and dear to my family, the Lupus Research Alliance; I’m so proud of my father, who sits on the board!
LupusChick believes you should
be creative, look past yourself, and keep your eyes open to occasions where you can pour into the life of another.