1st Annual CiTiSweEP Honoree Gala
1st Annual CiTiSweEP Honoree GalaBenefiting the Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. & Haiti Relief Fund, Inc. The Metropolitan Pavilion
Jan 12th, 2012 (6 - 10 pm) New York City All donations to CiTiSweEP are fully tax deductible. |
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In the human body, the immune system provides protection against bacteria, viruses or other foreign substances that can make us sick. People with lupus have an immune system that does not recognize their own body cells. As a result, the immune system attacks its own healthy cells and tissues and causes inflammation and damage to various parts of the body. Some of the most common symptoms include fatigue, muscle and joint pain, joint swelling, rashes, hair loss and sensitivity to the sun. More severe complications include damage to organs such as the kidneys, lungs and brain. Lupus is a complex disease no two cases are alike
Lupus is unpredictable. Symptoms vary widely from person to person and can come and go. When symptoms appear, it is called a "flare." Figuring out the triggers for flares helps lupus patients and their healthcare teams better manage the disease.
Although lupus can affect anyone, it is most commonly seen in females of African American, Asian, or Hispanic descent. It is estimated that lupus may affect around five million people worldwide. Despite the significant medical advances seen in the past half a century, there has not been a new medication approved specifically for lupus treatment in more than 40 years.
The magnitude 7.0 quake -- the most powerful to hit Haiti in a century -- struck shortly before 5 p.m. and was centered about 10 miles (15 kilometers) southwest of Port-au-Prince, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. It could be felt strongly in eastern Cuba, more than 200 miles away, witnesses said.
Experts warned of earthquake risk on Haiti
Mike Godfrey, an American contractor working for the U.S. Agency for International Development, said "a huge plume of dust and smoke rose up over the city" within minutes of the quake -- "a blanket that completely covered the city and obscured it for about 20 minutes."Witnesses reported damaged buildings throughout the capital, including the president's residence and century-old homes nearby, and The Associated Press reported that a hospital collapsed. President Rene Preval is safe, Joseph said, but there was no estimate of the dead and wounded Tuesday evening. He said an official of his government told him houses had crumbled "on the right side of the street and the left side of the street." "He said it is a catastrophe of major proportions," Joseph said. Impact Your World: How you can help
Japan mulls tsunami lessons for reconstruction By Jerome Cartillier (AFP) – 10 hours ago TOKYO
— Constructing taller buildings and moving towns to higher ground may be the key to rebuilding Japan's devastated northeast coast, experts say, as the threat of future tsunamis shapes ideas for reconstruction.
It was the monster wall of water, rather than March 11 magnitude 9.0 earthquake that spawned it, which tore through towns, destroying 300,000 homes and leaving 26,000 dead and missing.
"What we agreed with Prime Minister Naoto Kan is that it is not simply enough to restore things as they were before," said Makoto Iokibe, chairman of the Council of Reconstruction, established by Kan.
The daunting task of removing millions of tonnes of debris from destroyed homes and factories is the starting point for the remodelling of coastal towns in a region with an ageing population and fragile economy.
But the concept of relocating towns is a sensitive issue for those whose livelihoods revolve around them.