LUPUS AWARENESS MONTH

That this House notes that October is Lupus Awareness Month; recognises the impact lupus has on over 50,000 people in the UK alongside their families, friends and carers; congratulates LUPUS UK for its work as the only national charity dedicated to raising awareness of the condition, as well as providing support and advice for lupus sufferers and raising funds for the sufferers; further notes that lupus is an auto-immune disease which can cause many and varied symptoms affecting different organs of the body, including the kidneys, heart, lungs, brain and the skin and is often misdiagnosed; further notes that the phasing out of incandescent light bulbs by 2011 is likely to have serious consequences for some lupus sufferers with light sensitivity; welcomes the Government's commitment to work with the lighting industry to seek a solution to this problem; and further urges the Government to raise public awareness of lupus and to encourage research into effective treatment of the disease.