Asian American / Asian Research Institute’s Friday Lecture Series talk on Lupus and the Asian Community: A Puzzle to Ponder, by Susan S. Kim and Eliza Ngan-Dittgen, on Friday, May 11, 2012, from 6PM to 8PM. The talk will take place at 25 West 43rd Street, 10th Floor, Room 1000.
Lupus, a chronic, autoimmune illness, occurs more frequently and with more severity in the Asian community than among whites. It can have a widespread effect on one’s body as it may affect different major organs, such as the kidneys, heart, skin, lungs, or central nervous system. A challenge in lupus assessment is that the illness may vary from one patient to another, and within the same patient over time. If left undiagnosed, under-diagnosed, or untreated, lupus can become a life threatening event.
Like many other chronic illnesses with a variable course, living with lupus can have a profound impact on family relationships, self-esteem, and changes in self-concept – all challenging to communicate without feeling misunderstood or like a burden. Our two speakers will look at these variables from a medical perspective, a personal account of a life living with lupus, and a cultural perspective on the relationship between lupus and our Asian community.
Susan S. Kim, M.D. is a rheumatology fellow at Hospital for Special Surgery. Her current project is examining the relationship between health-related quality of life and the concept of social capital. Dr. Kim received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology at Williams College in Massachusetts, her medical degree from the New York Medical College, and completed her Internal Medicine residency at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Eliza Ngan-Dittgen, B.A. is the Program Associate at LANtern (Lupus Asian Network) since 2010. Eliza assists in the coordination of program activities with community-based agencies, with the goal of raising awareness and knowledge about lupus. She received her BA from the University of Toronto and Hospitality Diploma from Switzerland.
To RSVP for this talk, please visit www.aaari.info/12-05-11Lupus.htm. Live webcast for this talk will also be available, beginning at 6:15PM EST, on our homepage.