Government officials, business leaders, renowned researchers, and individuals with lupus will come together to celebrate and honor leaders for their efforts to advance lupus as a significant public health problem. The Butterfly Gala -Sixth Annual Awards Dinner will be held on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, DC.

This year's honorees are U.S. Congressman James P. Moran (D-VA, 8th), Sanjay Gupta, M.D., CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, and Roger M. Perlmutter, M.D., Ph.D., Executive Vice President for Research and Development for Amgen, Inc. CNN Anchor and Special Correspondent Soledad O'Brien will serve as the Master of Ceremonies and Grammy Award-winning artist Mary Wilson of the Supremes will entertain the Gala attendees.

This year's Gala Chair is the Chair of LFA's Board of Directors, Karen B. Evans. Karen Evans is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and is the Executive Director of the Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation, which provides funds to non-profits in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. Ms. Evans led a nationwide committee of 30 leaders from the business community who are dedicated to the lupus cause and volunteered to raise money and assist in planning the event.

"It inspiring to see the hard work and dedication of so many people working together to make this event a success," said Karen B. Evans. "The Gala is not only a celebration of the work that has been done, but also a call to action and a reminder of how much work still needs to be done to bring national attention and resources to bear upon lupus and continue to have hope for a cure."

Congressman Jim Moran who is a Senior Member of the Appropriations Committee, member of the Subcommittee on Defense, and member of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, will receive the Leadership in Lupus Research Award for his strong support of the Congressionally Directed Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program through the Department of Defense.

The program has provided $7.1 million in lupus medical and biomarker research funding. He has also been a vocal advocate for lupus research at the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Gupta will receive the Leadership in National Health Education Award in recognition of his leadership to raise awareness and educate the public about lupus, and other chronic diseases.

Dr. Perlmutter will receive the Cooper Family Foundation Leadership Award, recognizing the company's efforts to develop safe, effective treatments for individuals affected by lupus.

Lupus results from an immune system that is out of balance, causing it to become destructive to any organ or tissue in the body. Lupus can be very unpredictable and is potentially fatal. An estimated 1.5 million Americans have a form of lupus, yet no satisfactory treatment or a cure exists. In fact, it has been more than 50 years since the FDA approved a treatment for lupus. Its health consequences may include heart attacks, strokes, seizures, and organ failure.

The LFA is the foremost national nonprofit voluntary health organization dedicated to finding the causes of and cure for lupus, and to providing support, services, and hope to all people affected by lupus. The LFA Butterfly Gala will raise funds to support LFA programs of research, education, and advocacy.

Source
The Lupus Foundation of America