Founder and Executive Director Ashley Diehl was diagnosed with mild lupus at age 24. The early years of living with lupus presented with mild symptoms and little affect to regular life. 10 years later that Ashley's lupus took a nose dive and began to completely disrupt her life. Her rheumatologist diagnosed her with mild-moderate lupus, skin lupus and lupus nephritis as well as alopecia. None of which she had previously dealt with. Debilitating pain, extreme fatigue, miserable rashes, hair loss and inflammation in her kidneys are just a few her new "normal" symptoms. As a way of making lemonade out of lemons, Ashley founded Lupus Warriors United to allow her experiences to help others, to spread awareness and make sure no one does lupus alone.

According to the Lupus Foundation of America:

Lupus is a chronic (long-term) disease that can cause inflammation and pain in any part of your body. It’s an autoimmune disease, which means that your immune system — the body system that usually fights infections — attacks healthy tissue instead. Lupus most commonly affects your:

• Skin
  
• Joints
• Internal organs, like your Kidneys and heart
  

Because lupus affects many parts of the body, it can cause a lot of different symptoms.

Anyone can develop lupus.

However, certain people are at higher risk for lupus, including:

• Women ages 15 to 44
  
• Certain racial or ethnic groups — including people who are African American, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, or Pacific Islander
  
• People who have a family member with lupus or another autoimmune disease
  

9 out of 10

people with lupus are women.

-Lupus Foundation of America

photo credit KWSO 91.9