Just because Howie's Birthday is in August that does not mean that the disease of Lupus is not affecting thousands of people daily.  As most of you know Howie lost his sister Caroline a few years back due to medical complications caused by this disease. For those of you who do not know Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown cause. Lupus is an autoimmune disease: Though antibodies normally defend the body against disease, in this case the body produces antibodies that attack its own tissue.  In
layman's terms Lupus is a disease that causes your immune system to be overactive. Instead of fighting colds and infections, it attacks healthy areas of the body like joints, the major organs, muscles, tissues, and different areas of the whole body. It leaves its victims fatigued and in chronic pain. Lupus can be a life-threatening disease and may affect every organ in the body. It strikes women far more often than men, and is most common among women of childbearing age.

To help raise awareness for this life threatening April 1, 2000 has been declared NATIONAL LUPUS ALERT DAY. The Mature Fan Club would like to help recognize this disease, and raise money to find a cure. To commemorate National Lupus Day the Mature Fan Club will be selling a 1 oz Chocolate Butterfly (the symbol of Lupus) for $5.00, with more than 50% of the sale being donated to the Caroline Dorough Cochran Lupus Memorial Foundation.

In addition to the Mature Fan Club efforts, the Lupus Foundation of New Hampshire will be selling purple enamel lapel pins, which are in the shape of the now famous AIDS, ribbon, and something called a Lupus Loop. The Loop will be the new symbol for Lupus awareness, Howie was recently seen sporting one at the Grammy Awards. The Loop is Orange in color and is an embroidered
circle with adhesive on the back so it can stick to your clothing, and can be transferred time and again. The costs of these items are $3.00 for the enamel pin and $2 for the Lupus Loop.

To order any of these items please send the following information: name,
address, email address; phone number; quantity of each item to: