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At age 16, Molly Metroff heard her doctor diagnose her with lupus. “I had never heard the word lupus, let alone understood what it meant,” said Metroff.

The disease can creep up like an insidious thief – stealing strength and turning the body against itself. A chronic, autoimmune disease, it can damage any part of the body. Signs and symptoms can last for weeks.

For Metroff, who had been chronically ill for more than a year and suffered several strokes, the diagnosis delivered a mixture of relief and fear. “I was so young and so sick all the time, I just wanted answers,” she said. “After I was diagnosed, my family and I realized how little we really knew about what we were facing.”

It was the Lupus Foundation that came to the Metroff family’s aid. “They offered us so much support and understanding,” Metroff said. The Foundation is made up of those who suffer from lupus or have loved ones who have been diagnosed with the disease, and works to educate and raise funds for research. “This can be a frustrating illness to try and explain. It means so much to have people who know what you are going through,” Metroff said. 

The Metroffs, a majority of whom graduated from Illinois State University, all work toward supporting the Foundation. “I see families like mine, feeling lost and confused, not knowing what is going on,” said Metroff, now 25 years old. “I’m glad I can be there for them.” 

The Lupus Foundation is just one of more than 1,800 charities in the SECA dowloadable catalog. Employees can choose to divide donations among many of their favorite local and national charities. The pledge forms – available by dowload here – must be printed, signed and returned via campus mail by Friday, Nov. 4, to Campus Box 4420.

For more information, contact SECA Campaign Director Linda Spencer at 438-5689.