L.I.F.E.'s mission is twofold:

1. To promote lupus awareness:

· Lupus is the least-recognized and least-funded major disease to affect Americans.

· Lupus is more common than AIDS, sickle-cell anemia, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and cystic fibrosis combined. Lupus is not rare nor is it a new disease.

· Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease where the immune system malfunctions and is misdirected as it attacks healthy cells, tissues, and organs as if they are foreign. It can attack ANYTHING in the body causing widespread inflammation.

· Lupus is a systemic illness, which may present itself as a persistent fever, joint pain, profound fatigue or skin rashes to recurring meningitis, blood clots, and kidney failure.

· Lupus is known as a women’s disease, since 90% of its victims are female, and has a bias toward people of color.

2. To provide merit-based scholarships to college students overcoming the limitations of lupus—showing incredible courage, strength and perseverance:

· Each year the L.I.F.E. Scholarship Committee selects students to receive the L.I.F.E. Scholarship that have chosen to attend college despite the hardships brought on by lupus.

· College degrees are more difficult for individuals with lupus to attain. Many must delay school or reduce their course load. Others are faced with high medical bills interfering with rising tuition costs.

· Federal student loans, grants and most scholarships are available only to full-time students. L.I.F.E. is the only non-profit to award merit-based scholarships to either full-time or part-time college students with lupus nationally.

· L.I.F.E. Scholarships help a spectrum of students with lupus from those just graduating high school or students currently in college or to those returning to college either to further their career or gain the skills needed for a new profession.

· L.I.F.E. Scholarship winners demonstrate outstanding academic merit, service to their community, and the will to continue their success—in spite of living with a chronic illness.

Lupus is a devastating diagnosis not only for its victims, but their loved-ones as well. Jodi, as President and Co-founder of L.I.F.E., knows this more than most as she herself has valiantly battled lupus for most her life. Jodi, like our L.I.F.E. Scholarship winners, has used her battle with lupus as fuel to create a future filled with excellence. Jodi is proud to announce—for the first time—ALL 2017 L.I.F.E. Scholarships Winners were awarded through the creation of her Sponsorship Program.

Click here to review Jodi’s Bio or other members of the L.I.F.E. Team.