Hospital for Special Surgery's National Lupus Support Programs

Hospital for Special Surgery offers free programs that reflect a comprehensive approach to care for people with systemic lupus erythematosus.  Through these programs, patients can learn about their illness and learn to live more fully - both from health care professionals and from others who have the same illness.
LupusLine®, begun in 1988, is the only national telephone peer support program offering one-to-one emotional support and information to people with lupus across the country and internationally; the program links people who need the service with trained volunteers who have lupus or are a family member of someone with lupus.

HSS’ volunteers bring the peer support from their homes into the homes of people with lupus.

Charla de Lupus(Lupus Chat)®, is the only national telephone and in-person program offering people with lupus and their families peer health education and support in both English and Spanish, bringing services to the underserved Latino and African-American communities. The program’s education and support empowers and enhances the quality of life for adults, teens, and children with lupus, and their family members. It accomplishes its mission through specially trained peer health educators who provide culturally relevant education and support.

LANtern®(Lupus Asian Network) is the only national support and education program for Asian Americans with lupus and their loved ones. Its mission is to support, empower and enhance the quality of life by create and expand networks of hope and understanding, which will provide enlightenment concerning this complex illness

These programs are made possible through funding by Rheuminations, Inc.

Contact Information:

  • LANtern®- Toll Free: 866-505-2253  
  • LupusLine® - Toll Free: 866-375-1427
  • Charla de Lupus(Lupus Chat)® - 866-812-4492.

Website: http://www.hss.edu/lupus-programs.asp

Resources:

  • Chinese bilingual publications on lupus (in traditional Chinese characters); Peer Health Educators who can speak languages other than English - Cantonese, Mandarin, ShanTong, Taiwanese, Malay and Tagalo.
  • For Inquiring Teens with Lupus: Our Thoughts, Issues & Concerns is a unique free publication offering first-hand insights by a young woman diagnosed with lupus as a teen, as well as a list of availableresources geared to young people. The booklet is now available on the HSS website in PDF form in Spanish, English, and Chinese.
  • Teen and Parent Chat Group - Teen and Parent Lupus Chat Groups is a monthly in-person chat group for teens (14 to 19) who have lupus and their parents based in New York, City.  
  • Peer Health Educators who speak Spanish.