Actor Ian Harding Takes on Role as Lupus Awareness Advocate

Actor Ian Harding Takes on Role as Lupus Awareness Advocate

The Lupus Foundation of America's Spring Issue of Lupus Now® Magazine highlights his mission to support his mother and thousands of others living with lupus





WASHINGTON, May 28, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As a successful actor and star of ABC Family's hittelevision show Pretty Little Liars, Ian Harding has a busy schedule. When he is not on set, the 27-year-old uses his success and newfound fame for a larger purpose: to advocate for lupus. Harding has teamed up with the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) to raise awareness about lupus, an unpredictable and misunderstood autoimmune disease that affects an estimated 1.5 million Americans.

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The spring issue of Lupus Now(®) magazine, published by the LFA, highlights how Harding balances his thriving career and uses his celebrity to help young women recognize lupus and seek out answers and support. Harding talks openly about his connection with the disease, and how his mother's diagnosis in 1994 shaped their lives, but didn't inhibit his opportunities. The article discusses Harding's personal mission to raise awareness and deliver the message that lupus is a daily struggle; however, it can be lessened through the support of friends and family.

Harding and his sister were young children when his mother was diagnosed. Looking back, he explains that if he were more aware of the physical demands of lupus, he would have been a greater help to his mother. "If I were a kid again and knew what this disease entailed, I would have asked her how I could help more," says Harding.

Today, Harding looks to extend his support to thousands of others who suffer from lupus and its brutal impact.

"This may sound weird, but it just feels like it's something that's beatable if we stay on this path," he says. "My biggest worry is that some people might give up. You can live with this disease. It's a daily struggle, it's terrible. But you can do it--just like my mom."

To read the complete article, or to order a subscription to Lupus Now(®)magazine, go online to lupusnow.org, contact your local LFA chapter, or call 866-4-THE-LFA. Published three times per year for people with lupus, their families, and health professionals, Lupus Now(®) includes the latest information on new treatments, clinical trial updates, lifestyle and wellness features, personal stories, and more.

About Lupus
Lupus is an unpredictable and misunderstood disease that ravages different parts of the body. It is difficult to diagnose, hard to live with, and a challenge to treat. Lupus is a cruel mystery because it is hidden from view and undefined, has a range of symptoms, hits out of nowhere and has no known cause and no known cure. Its health effects can range from a skin rash to a heart attack. Lupus is debilitating and destructive, and can be fatal, yet research on lupus remains underfunded relative to its scope and devastation.

About the Lupus Foundation of America
The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) is the only national force devoted to solving the mystery of lupus, one of the world's cruelest, most unpredictable, and devastating diseases, while giving caring support to those who suffer from its brutal impact. Through a comprehensive program of research, education, and advocacy, we lead the fight to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus.







SOURCE Lupus Foundation of America

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121113/DC11393LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Lupus Foundation of America

CONTACT: Maggie Maloney, Maloney@lupus.org, 202-212-6766, Duane Peters, peters@lupus.org, 202-349-1145

Web Site: http://www.lupus.org


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