The Lupus and Allied Diseases Association (LADA) was founded in 1978 in Utica, NY and is dedicated to enhancing quality of life by engaging and empowering individuals impacted by lupus and allied diseases and other conditions of unmet need. As a passion-driven charity led by people with lupus and their loved ones, we work to ensure that the patient perspective is included as an equal stakeholder in the healthcare, regulatory and public policy arenas and across the research continuum. We also have a longstanding advocacy reputation for aggressively pursuing stronger patient protections and supporting healthcare access policies that ensure individuals receive the most appropriate therapies as directed by their treating healthcare providers and consistent disease management is preserved. It is our goal to improve access to care and quality of life by fostering collaboration among stakeholders, promoting unity in the community, and wielding the patient voice as a catalyst to advance innovative advocacy, education, awareness and biomedical research initiatives that will identify causes, advance better diagnostics, and discover superior treatments, and ultimately, cures.