RheumaCare Hope Initiative is a non-profit organization founded to support individuals affected by lupus and other rheumatological conditions. We work tirelessly to raise awareness, provide advocacy, assist with clinical care navigation, and promote research. Our efforts aim to connect patients with physicians, address healthcare disparities, and tackle social determinants of health in underserved communities.
Brief History
RheumaCare was established by Dr. Queeneth Edwards, a physician-scientist and lupus survivor, drawing from her personal experiences and professional observations. Witnessing significant gaps in care—especially in rural Nigeria—Dr. Edwards launched this initiative to empower patients with education, resources, and support for better disease management and an improved quality of life.
The Story Behind RheumaCare Hope Initiative
Living with lupus is a journey that reshapes your mind, your body, and your purpose. For me, it became the very reason behind the birth of RheumaCare Hope Initiative.
As a physician, researcher, and someone personally navigating the realities of chronic autoimmune disease, I’ve experienced both sides of the healthcare system—the one that diagnoses, and the one that often overlooks the pain behind the numbers. I’ve met patients in rural Nigeria and underserved communities in the United States who’ve gone months, even years, without a diagnosis or access to specialists. I’ve seen how misinformation, stigma, and lack of support destroy lives, not because people don’t care, but because they don’t know how to help.
That needed to change.
Over the years following my diagnosis, I found myself becoming a point of contact for friends, families, and even strangers, who were overwhelmed by similar news. People reached out not just for medical advice, but for hope, for someone to tell them their diagnosis wasn’t a death sentence, that a full and meaningful life was still possible. Every conversation pulled me deeper into purpose. I felt both called and blessed to speak life into others’ journeys. But it also raised a deeper question: what about those without access to someone who understands? Who do they call? Where do they go?
In Nigeria, where the number of rheumatologists remains woefully inadequate, I received frequent messages asking for referrals, not just for lupus, but for autoimmune conditions few had even heard of. Globally, autoimmune disease awareness is still growing, but in many places, it’s barely begun. That gap of awareness, of specialists, of support has left too many in silence.
RheumaCare Hope Initiative was created to be a bridge—between patients and physicians, between diagnosis and understanding, between disease and dignity. Our goal is simple: empower individuals with rheumatological diseases like lupus through education, advocacy, and access.
We are not just a nonprofit organization. We are a growing family of warriors, caregivers, clinicians, researchers, and allies. Whether it’s through awareness campaigns, community outreach, or supporting the next research breakthrough, RheumaCare is committed to being a source of hope and action.
Every story matters. And every life touched by autoimmune diseases deserves to be heard, helped, and healed. This is just the beginning of ours.