April 19, 2007

Fairfax, Va.--Junior Moni Akintunde (Laurel, Md.), a member of the Mason's women's basketball team and also a lupus patient, will take part in the First-Annual Walk for Lupus Now on April 21, along with some of her teammates and head coach Debbie Taneyhill. The walk will take place in Washington, D.C. and is being organized by the Lupus Foundation of America, the Greater Washington Chapter.

"Due to the fact that not a lot of people are aware that I have lupus, I was reluctant at first to agree to participate in the event," said Akintunde. "I then realized that I should not be ashamed of myself, because this is now a part of who I am. I think doing this walk will make me feel more comfortable and hopefully people will be inspired because they will see that I still live a normal life, including being a student-athlete, even with this disease."

Akintunde is involved in the ribbon cutting ceremony, which takes place right before the walk begins at 9:30 a.m. The starting off point for the walk is Freedom Plaza, which is located at 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.

"I am honored and excited that the Lupus Foundation of America asked me to cut the ribbon," commented Akintunde. "I am also thrilled that I will have the support of my teammates, friends and family at the event because it makes it more special for me."

This first Washington-area Walk for Lupus Now kicks-off a series of walks across the nation to bring attention to lupus. Local walkers raise money to support the Lupus Foundation of America, Greater Washington Chapter--the D.C. area's leading non-profit health organization dedicated to supporting lupus patients and their families; increasing awareness of lupus among health professionals and the public; and finding the causes and a cure.

Lupus is a chronic, potentially life-threatening autoimmune disease that affects more than 35,000 people in the D.C. area--primarily women of color. Lupus causes the immune system to become overactive, creating antibodies that attack healthy tissues such as the skin, kidneys, lungs, heart, and brain. For information about lupus, or to learn more about the Walk for Lupus Now, please contact the Lupus Foundation of America, Greater Washington Chapter at 202-349-1167, walk@lupusgw.org or www.walkforlupusnow.dc.kintera.org.