A young athlete from Quebec who suffers from lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease, is participating in the first edition of the 1000 Lupus Challenge.
Ten days to swim 25 kilometres: this is the challenge launched by Lupus Canada that Yanise Nynouska Tremblay, a synchronized swimming athlete, decided to take on.
The student, who is currently studying for a master's degree in microbiology and immunology at Laval University, faces a particular challenge because she herself suffers from the disease.
Since I study lupus, I thought this would be a good opportunity to advance the research
The swimmer explains.
Since the beginning of May, she has been doing 100 laps of the pool a day at Université Laval for this challenge that ended on May 10, World Lupus Awareness Day.
The goal is to reach the all-important number of 1,000 tall, in reference to the aka lupus The disease has 1000 faces
.
The butterfly is a symbol of lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease.
Photo: Radio-Canada/Philippe Leureux
It's just to show that it's a battle every day and the challenge is to show the stamina and resilience that people with lupus have every day.
The student says.
A disease that is unknown and difficult to understand
Although lupus affects one in 1,000 people in Canada, this autoimmune disease is still shrouded in mystery.
It is a disease that mainly affects young women and one of its main symptoms is arthritis.
explains Paul Fortin, a rheumatologist and professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Laval.
Other effects caused by the disease, such as affecting vital organs or the skin, vary greatly from one person to another.
It has been included in medical books since the end of the nineteenth centuryH In the 20th century, today lupus can be controlled but not cured.
A group of students and researchers gathered at the Bfly Center in Quebec City, a cage for butterflies, the insect that represents lupus.
Photo: Radio-Canada/Philippe Leureux
In addition, the causes of its appearance are still largely unknown.
It's a complex disease, and there may be genetic and environmental factors, says Dr. Fortin. Lupus treatments are very complex because we must treat the immune system.
Despite everything, Paul Fortin is optimistic about the future when it comes to treating this disease.
According to him, science is making great progress, and challenges such as the one in which Janezy Ninewska is participating greatly help in raising the level of awareness among the population.
The duo notes that May is Lupus Awareness Month.
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