Columbus, OH (June 15, 2021) – Former State Senator Bill Beagle had first introduced legislation that would designate June as Scleroderma Awareness Month in Ohio back in 2015. This legislation, Senate Bill 133, was passed and signed into law by Governor Kasich in 2016. This year, we hope to make more people than ever aware that June is Scleroderma Awareness Month and educate people about the disease.
TV host, musician and actress Queen Latifah revealed to PEOPLE in 2014 that her late mother, Rita Owens, suffered from the autoimmune disease scleroderma. Still, too many people in the United States know nothing about this rare, mysterious and frequently disabling condition that affects nearly 300,000 people in the U.S. Overall, women living with the disease between the ages of 25 and 55 years old outnumber men 4-to-1.
“I feel it is extremely important that the public is aware of what scleroderma is, how it affects the body and all of research being conducted to find a cure. Also, there are support groups available in Ohio to help patients and their families. I’m a scleroderma survivor and I ask that everyone step up and out to help us find a cure”, says Demeshia Montgomery, an Ohio patient who did much of the legwork to get the Bill 133 introduced and also won the National Advocate of the Year award in 2020.
This year, one of the activities the Ohio Chapter will use to increase awareness is getting the support of local police departments, medical offices, car dealerships and other organizations by asking them to wear teal awareness ribbons for the first week of June. In addition, board members and their loved ones will
display yard signs during the month for scleroderma awareness. The LeVeque Tower in Columbus, Ohio will be lit up in teal for the last full week of June (21st – 25th). There will also be a large social media presence with videos by patients and caregivers, Facebook live sessions, and posts about how
people can help spread awareness. A virtual fundraising walk was held in Boardman, Ohio on June 5 and one will also be held in Columbus, Ohio on June 29. The Columbus Walk Facebook LIVE video will be held June 29 at 7 PM at facebook.com/curesclerodermaohio . For info and to register, the website for the walk is scleroderma.org/columbuswalk .
-MORE
June is Scleroderma Awareness Month
For more than 20 years, the Scleroderma Foundation, its Chapters and Support Groups have recognized June as Scleroderma Awareness Month, marking it with annual awareness and fundraising events and a social media campaign, as well as obtaining national, state and local proclamations, and this year is no exception.
The Scleroderma Foundation and other national scleroderma organizations recognize June 29 as World Scleroderma Awareness Day.
About Scleroderma
Scleroderma is a chronic, often progressive, autoimmune disease, which means that the immune system attacks one’s own body.
Scleroderma is a Greek word that means “hard skin.” It can cause a thickening and tightening of the skin. In some cases, it causes serious damage to internal organs including the lungs, heart, kidneys, esophagus and gastrointestinal tract. As scarring, or sclerosis, of these organs and organ systems progress, they work less effectively, and can lead to organ failure and death.
Some medications and treatments can help with certain symptoms, but there is no cure for scleroderma. The disease affects an estimated 300,000 people in the United States.
About the Scleroderma Foundation
The Scleroderma Foundation is the national organization serving the scleroderma community, including those living with scleroderma, their families and friends, and healthcare professionals working in the field of scleroderma research and treatment. The Foundation was formed Jan. 1, 1998 through a merger of two predecessor organizations and has an organizational history of more than 30 years. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a network of 20 chapters and 160 support groups throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. The Scleroderma Foundation is the largest nonprofit funder of peer-reviewed medical research, making available at least $1 million per year in new research grants to find the cause, better treatments, and a cure for scleroderma.
For more information about scleroderma and the Scleroderma Foundation, visit www.scleroderma.org ! Remember, World Scleroderma Awareness Day is June 29!
For more information, contact:
Tina Fellows
Executive Director
Scleroderma Foundation Ohio Chapter
866-849-9030
tfellows@scleroderma.org