Lupus advocate to emcee medical conference

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A South Carolina-based lupus activist has been chosen to host the Medical University of South Carolina's 7th annual Lupus Education Day

Hetlena Johnson, host of "Conversations with Lupus" and author of "Diary of a Mad Lupus Patient," will emcee the event 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.. Saturday at the MUSC Drug Discovery Auditorium, 70 President St. in Charleston.

Johnson is also the founder of the Lupus Columbia South Carolina group and The Lupus Liar. The event is one of many in the United States to be held in April to champion on behalf of lupus survivors like Johnson and others throughout the state.

Diagnosed at the age of 17 with lupus, a debilitating autoimmune disease affecting 1.5 million Americans, Johnson has been a part of the annual community event for the past four years.

She was asked to host the event for the second year in a row and update the community on her nationwide advocacy efforts to heighten lupus awareness. South Carolina is conservatively estimated to have at least 22,000 lupus survivors.