Second annual Lupus Awareness concert in the offing
The second annual Lupus Awareness concert will be held at Lemepe lodge in Molepolole on 21 May 2022.
The concert is aimed at raising awareness on lupus and subsidising the public on this rare disease and to give those living with the conditions life-skills as well as extensive medical knowledge on the condition. This year’s instalment will feature the popular MC Theo as well as Naomi Yes and Mmurubele traditional group.
The concert is also a platform to give those suffering from lupus a safe space to interact and have fun, and also for the public to enjoy good music and contribute to raising funds for this worthy purpose.
The showcase is organised by Afro jazz artist Gaone Gee Ditirafalo, who herself was diagnosed with Lupus several years ago. In 2018 she was paralysed from the disease and started using a wheelchair. Following her recovery in 2019, she vowed to use her voice as a creative to spread awareness on lupus, and empower other people diagnosed with the disease to be resilient and not be derailed from their dreams.
Lupus is a disease that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks its own organs and tissues.
The inflammation affects the joints, skin, kidneys, brain, heart, lungs and blood cells. Common signs of Lupus include: extreme fatigue, painful or swelling joints, constant headaches, low fever and sensitivity to sunlight, among others.
Ditirafalo, who has been open about her struggle with this condition, said there is still ignorance on the condition and the concert would also allow medical experts to share insight on the disease and accord those living with it chance to share their experiences. She said they want to reach out to as many people as possible, also motivate those who are battling with the disease to keep positive and know that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. “We want them to be resilient, have hope and empower themselves with factual knowledge,” she noted. Ditirafalo said that she was supported by her mother and other family members during her hard times battling this disease, and emphasised that it is important for people with a rare condition to receive love and support from those around them, and so they encourage members of the public to attend the concert in order to learn more about it, and also spread awareness in their own communities.
*Tickets to the concert are already on sale for P100.