Soldier creates lupus awareness on deployment

News: Soldier creates lupus awareness on deployment

1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Red Bull Infantry Division

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Chief Warrant Officer Daniel McGowan

Army Sgt. Tracy L. White, 134 Brigade Support Battalion Emergency operations non-commissioned officer from Morris and Air Force, Airman 1st Class Charisse L. Starr, gateway operations from Hawaii, run in the Lupus Awareness "fun run" organized by fellow BSB soldier Joseph A. Lecuyer and sponsored by Lupus Foundation of Minnesota and Uniformed Services Organization at Ali Al Salem Life Support Area, Kuwait, Dec. 21, 2011.

KUWAIT - On the morning of Dec. 21, about 100 people or so, gathered around to help Joe Lecuyer, 40, from Minneapolis, Minn., raise awareness of lupus and run a 5K together on a cold morning in the desert. What is unique about this awareness run is Lecuyer is deployed with his Guard unit to Kuwait.

His story with Lupus started when he met his wife, Jessica. She was diagnosed with Lupus, an autoimmune disorder 22 years ago.

“She basically warned me that she had lupus. I knew very little of the disease,” said Lecuyer. “I told her it didn’t change anything between us. But a person with lupus is often limited. Long walks on the beach were out of the question.”

Every September, the Lupus Foundation of Minnesota hosts an annual awareness walk. Lecuyer deployed with his Guard unit in May and was disappointed he missed this year’s walk so Lecuyer teamed up with the USO on Camp LSA to plan and host his own awareness walk. This was Lecuyer’s first experience planning and organizing an event. Planning an event between two entities with nine hours difference requires a practice in patience.

When asked if he was satisfied with the event, Lecuyer said, “I believe the event accomplished its goal of reaching out and spreading awareness of the disease.”

According to the Lupus Foundation of Minnesota Facebook’s page, “Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when your body's immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many different body systems, including your joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, heart and lungs.”

Lupus affects people differently, but it changes their level independence.

Spc. Lecuyer is deployed to Camp Army Life Support Area, Kuwait, with the 134 Brigade Support Battalion based out of Camp Ripley, Minn.