In the final event to conclude our Lupus Awareness Month of May, the Foundation’s signature event dubbed “Dancing with Lupus”, which is a charity dinner – the Lupus Foundation of Fiji achieved a milestone, in that we had as our Chief Guest, the Prime Minister of Fiji – the Honourable Sitiveni Rabuka!
The Prime Minister re-affirmed government’s support for the Foundation and stated that he didn’t know much about Lupus, until a very close relative of his who resides in the UK, was ‘missed’ diagnosed there, but upon coming home to Fiji to attend a family event – had ‘flared up’ and manifested the usual signs and symptoms of lupus. Through a friend of the family, the LFF was alerted to her condition and mobilised to get her diagnosed and treated. The rest as they say, is history!
The Lupus Foundation of Fiji is immensely grateful to the government of the day (which happens to be the biggest stakeholder), for recognizing the Foundation in the form of an MOU – signed with the Ministry of Health in October 2024! This will indeed streamline our services to our sole beneficiaries (our Lupus Warriors), and help us officially and freely engage with the Medical Fraternity here and abroad, with information-sharing, capacity-building, surveillance and research. From being “the new kid on the block” amongst the other health-related NGO’s in the country – We have officially arrived!
The Foundation immensely thanks all our Warriors and Carers for courageously and patiently staying the course, to all our Partners (Fiji Television, The Fiji Times, Team Tilapia/Leadership Fiji), Supporters and Donors (Fiji Water, Wonderful Company, SMEC), our Affiliates – PIANGO, FCOSS, NCPD, Friends and Families, and all our Stakeholders – Vinaka Vakalevu, Foi’eksia, and Dhanyavhaad!
