Grammy award nominee Eddie Levert loss his 22-year-old daughter to a lifelong battle with lupus on Christmas Eve. Ryan Levert was the third child the singer has had to bury. His son Gerald died in 2006, and another son Sean, died in 2008. All of his children passed away from health issue complications. Ryan’s death has brought attention to lupus, a disease that affects many people, especially in the Black community.
Lupus is a disease that makes the body’s immune system attack itself. Instead of protecting the body from illness, the immune system harms healthy parts like the skin, joints, and organs. This can cause pain, swelling, and damage to important parts of the body like the kidneys and heart. Lupus can be very unpredictable. Some days, people with lupus feel fine. Other days, they have flare-ups, where the disease gets worse and causes more pain and problems.
Lupus is more common in Black people than in other groups, and Black women are especially at risk. In fact, Black women are two to three times more likely to have lupus than white women. Lupus begins at a young age, usually between 15 and 44 years old, affecting Black women during some of the most important years of their lives. After decades of research scientists are not sure why this happens. They say it could be because of genes, the environment, or differences in healthcare.
One big problem with lupus is that it can take years for someone to find out they have it. This is because lupus has many symptoms that look like other illnesses. For example, it can cause joint pain, tiredness, rashes, and fevers. Many people don’t realize these problems are caused by lupus until the disease has already done a lot of damage. For Black women, the delay in finding out can be worse because of healthcare inequalities and a lack of awareness.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for lupus, but there are medicines that can help the symptoms. The treatments can lower swelling, reduce pain, and protect the body from more damage. Even with treatment, many people with lupus struggle to live normal lives. This is why more research is needed to find better treatments and, hopefully one day, a cure.
Ryan’s Levert’s death is a reminder of how serious lupus can be and how much more research needs to be done to fight it. Lupus Awareness Month is in May, and World Lupus Day is on May 10th. Those with possible symptoms should be encouraged to get checked.
[Photo: Instagram]
