My daughter has SLE

Please, we're asking for your help.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the form of the disease that most people are referring to when they say "lupus." The word "systemic means the disease can affect many parts of the body. The symptoms of SLE may be mild or serious. Although SLE usually first affects people between the ages of 15 and 45 years, it can occur in childhood or later in life as well.*

Karen Zipagan-Abu got it at a very tender age of 11. It started as bruises in various parts of her body. She gets black & blue spots on her arms, legs, her back - for no reason at all, they just appear, and then disappear. The dermatologist initially said it's allergy and she was given medicines for this. However, even after she took the prescribed meds, nothing changed and she even started bleeding from the nose.

Doctors suspected that Karen had low platelet and was referred to a hematologist at the Makati Medical Center. She was checked up and after several blood tests, the doctor finally told the family that Karen is suffering from Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), an immunological disease wherein the platelet count is very low which causes bleeding. We were advised to transfer Karen to Dr. Melendres, a consultant and hematologist of the Philippine General Hospital and the Manila Doctos Hospital, who conducted several blood tests which confirmed that it is really ITP. A platelet transfusion was given to Karen through several confinements with a minimal dose of steroids. Then in 1997, the decision had to be made : Karen was advised to undergo splenectomy (removal of spleen), to normalize the platelets and to avoid bleeding.

One day, however, during her freshman year at the University of the Philippines in Los Banos where she was taking up BS Statistics, Karen suddenly collapsed for several minutes and was rushed to the infirmary, then had to be transferred to PGH under the care of Dr. Raymond Alonso, a nephrologist. After some urine tests, Karen was diagnosed to have Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, another immunological disease that usually affects the kidneys. After two years of continuous medications and treatment, Karen improved but the nature of the lupus disease is that sometimes you're well and sometimes it is active. Soon, her kidneys were both infected by lupus and stopped functioning. They were then advised that Karen undergo hemodialysis.

It was from year 2002 when the dialysis began almost every other day which costs P2,500.00 per session, with a requirement of injectable epoetin beta after each dialysis that costs about P1,500.00. The dialysis really depleted the family sources. This 3 times a week schedule of hemodialysis that doctors require of Karen continued up to this day and it was within this period when the doctors finally advised her to undergo kidney transplantation. One factor blocking the procedure is that as a pre-op requirement, Karen has to be injected with Mabthera, a special medicine in the form of a vial which costs P700,000.00. That, and the operation itself will require P1M. She is now 22 years old. - Erna Zipagan-Abu, batch81

Along with Karen's biological family, the entire class of '81 to which Karen's mother belong to, wish in our prayers and intentions for Karen to be able to improve her quality of life. Young and intelligent that she is, we hope and pray that the kidney transplantation will soon materialize so that she will be given that chance to a life that glorifies the greatness of our Lord. We know that all the help we can share will give her that chance. We hope you will find it in your hearts to do the same - it is guaranteed that His Hands will find their way back to you tenfold. - batch81

* http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/lupus/slehandout/#Lupus_1

note: The article above was based on Erna Zipagan-Abu's recount on Karen's medical history. This was later on produced by batch81 as a flyer distributed during the SMA Alumni Grand Homecoming held at the SMA Grounds last November 2005, when we were given the opportunity by batch80, host of the event, to conduct a mini fund-raising activity for Karen. Read the initial post on Karen here