TOLEDO, Ohio — May is Lupus Awareness month and a local postal worker is hoping to shed some light on the disease by hosting a walk on Sunday May 23.
Lupus Warrior Rachelle Roy, 50, discovered she had the autoimmune disease when she was in her 30s.
"I have scarring on my face but I've lost the hair in my eyebrows I don't have that. I have scarring around here," said Rachelle.
Celebrities like Nick Cannon and Selena Gomez also have Lupus but, in different forms. Rachelle said it affects different parts of the body and symptoms can vary but, everyone who has it is dealing with a war going on inside of their body.
"The stuff inside your body, the immune system that's in your body, that's made to protect you from different diseases - it starts attacking the healthy tissues in you," said Rachelle.
Rachelle said there is no Lupus Foundation of America specifically in the Toledo area, so she raises money for Lupus research herself, on all of her big birthdays.
With this year being her 50th, Rachelle says she wants nothing more than to host a walk with the community.
"All my friends, anybody that's interested, anybody that knows somebody that's had Lupus, anybody that's surviving Lupus. Anyone can participate," said Rachelle.
Rachelle said she wants people who are going through the same thing that she is to know that they're not alone.
"If I can be an inspiration to anybody that has Lupus, to let them know that life isn't over. Life is just starting," said Rachelle.
The Lupus Walk is Sunday, May 23 at 10 a.m. at Ottawa Park.
Money raised at the event will go to the Lupus Foundation of America, Greater Ohio Chapter.
Rachelle says to look for purple balloons.
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