Lupus Informative Speech

Lupus is known as “the cruel mystery” in the world of disease/medicine. 1.5 million Americans are currently diagnosed with Lupus, with the number possibly being a lot higher since it is one of the most difficult diseases to diagnose in the WORLD (5 Million some form of Lupus)

B. Relevance: You might ask why should I care? How does this affect me or what is it exactly? Well the truth is that most people don’t realize they have Lupus. It so difficult to diagnose it is know as the “great imitator” since it resembles a variety of other diseases.

C. Credibility statement: I may not look like an expert of any sort, but I have personally seen how this disease takes over the body in my own grand-mother.

D. Central idea: Lupus is a disease of unpredictability and the mystery that it carries is the vast number of characteristics of the disease. My job today is to inform you on this “cruel mystery” and how it affects people.

E. Initial Preview: Today we will discuss the definitions/types of Lupus, its causes/symptoms, and the difficulty in diagnosing this confusing disease.

Transition to 1st main point: First, let’s talk about what Lupus is and its different types. Point #1)

II. Body

A. Point #1: “Lupus is a chronic (6 wks. -Years), autoimmune disease that occurs when your body’s immune system damages any part of your body such as the skin, joints, and organs.”

1. Usually your body produces antibodies to fight off invaders such as Viruses or diseases but since Lupus is an autoimmune disease; the immune system can’t tell the difference between foreign invaders and healthy tissues. There 3 types of Lupus Systemic Lupus (most common) which can affect any part of the body, Discoid Lupus which only affects the skin, and Drug induced Lup...

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...se it eventually kills. I learned about Lupus from my mother who struggles to be healthy on a daily basis and also from my aunt who thought she was dying from Liver failure, but it was the Lupus that eventually killed her. I only hope that you have come to understand Lupus and the unpredictable nature that accompanies it.

References

1. What is Lupus? (n.d). Lupus Foundation of America. Retrieved from http://www.lupus.org/answers/entry/what-is-lupus

2. Makover, M. & Zieve, D. (2011, February 14). Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved July 14, 2012, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001471/

3. Makover, M. & Zieve, D. (2011, February 14). Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved July 14, 2012, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001471/