WAUWATOSA, Wis. — Latish Reed was diagnosed with lupus 23 years ago after experiencing chronic pain in her wrists.
Lupus is a debilitating disease caused when the immune system attacks its own tissues, affecting many parts of the body.
“I’ve had to be hospitalized a couple times, but I had great doctors throughout the time that were treating me so I was able to recover and get back to work,” said Reed. “I do have a 17-year-old son. When I had him, that was a challenging situation. He was born premature based on the lupus flaring up really bad.”
The Lupus Foundation of America reports that 1.5 million Americans are living with the disease. Of those millions, 90% are women. What causes the disease is still unknown, but the foundation said it tends to occur at a younger age.
Black women are three times more likely than white women to be diagnosed with lupus than others. Their symptoms also tend to be more severe.
Over the years, Reed said she has learned that staying active helps relieve her lupus symptoms.
“I’ve been going to water aerobics since probably 2015,” said Reed.
She’s a regular at the Wisconsin Athletic Center. For Reed, missing a class isn’t an option.
“I’ve had some good days, I've had some bad days,” said Reed. “I’ve had some hills to climb, but being consistent in movement has helped me.”
Reed said she’s active with the Lupus Foundation’s chapter in Wisconsin. She works alongside president and CEO Dawn Thomas-Semank, who lost her mother to lupus.
“She died at a very young age,” said Thomas-Semank. “She was 26 when she passed away. I was very young at the time. This was in the early 70s, so there wasn’t a lot of treatment at that time. Awareness has come a long way since then.”
She said at least 30,000 people in Wisconsin have lupus. The Lupus Foundation is trying to make sure more people know what those people really need.
“To work with employers because they don’t understand why somebody can’t come to work,” said Thomas-Semank. “We might have to take a student in college or high school and pair them up with another individual to carry their backpack. Little things like that we know we can help with. Any little way we can help, we do.”
That includes support groups for those living with the disease, along with their loved ones and caregivers.
“I think just knowing that other people are going through similar things is a help to others that have it,” said Reed.
As Reed carried on with her water workout, she said she wanted everyone to know that lupus does not define her and shouldn’t define anyone.