Wow, Lafayette! We are still soaring from the incredible energy of our unforgettable two-day weekend.
The 4A’s Sister’s Club wants to send a massive, heartfelt thank you to every single person who came out to support our cause, celebrate our Lupus Warriors, and help us turn the city purple!
Friday Night: The “Wings of Hope” Sneakers Gala We kicked things off on Friday, May 22nd, at the beautiful Downtown Convention Center, and let us just say—you all know how to rock formal wear with your freshest kicks! The Wings of Hope Gala was a stunning evening filled with elegance, signature cocktails, and an overwhelming sense of community.
The room was absolutely glowing with starry lights and our signature butterfly motifs. Hearing from our incredible guest speaker reminded us exactly why we fight so hard and love so deeply. We danced, we laughed, and we celebrated the fierce resilience of everyone navigating life with Lupus. The vibe was pure magic, proving that even when we are fighting a serious battle, we know how to celebrate life to the fullest.
Saturday Morning: The “Fight Lupus” Walk
We barely had time to catch our breath before we traded our gala glam for our walking gear! On Saturday morning, May 23rd, the energy at Girard Park was absolutely electric. By 9:00 AM, a sea of purple flooded the pathways as we laced up to “Walk Proud.”
From seasoned walkers to families carrying signs for their loved ones, every single step taken was a step closer to a world without Lupus. The vibes were unmatched—there were cheers, beautiful moments of connection, catching up with old friends, and a whole lot of fun along the trail. It wasn’t just a walk; it was a moving celebration of strength.
Continuing the Fight Together
Whether you were dining and dancing under the stars with us on Friday or hitting the pavement on Saturday, your presence made a monumental impact. Every ticket purchased and every step taken helps us provide hope, stipends, and support for our local community of warriors.
If you missed the weekend’s festivities or just want to keep this amazing momentum going, remember that our sisterhood meets regularly! Come spread your wings with us at our “I’m That Butterfly Monthly” meetings every 3rd Thursday of the month (you can join us from the comfort of your couch via Zoom, or in-person at the Girard Park gazebo).
Thank you for helping us lace up for a legacy. Your sneakers and your strength mean the world to us. We can’t wait to see you at the next event!
Meet Candi Faulk-Penn the 4 A’s Sisters Lupus Club 2026 Lupus Special Lupus Advocate, born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana. Seven years ago, she was diagnosed with SLE Lupus. Not knowing what Lupus was, Candi did not know what to expect of this silent disease. After being told she was diagnosed with Lupus, she found herself angry, asking God “Why me?” After finding herself in denial about this silent disease, all she could think was that she wanted to be considered “normal” one day.
Like her, many may not know what Lupus is, and that’s ok, it is not that discussed, however, she wants to share what she knows about Lupus.
What is lupus? Lupus is a highly complex autoimmune disease that can affect any organ in your body. The body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in many parts of the body.
Symptoms vary among people and may be mild to severe. Signs and symptoms may include butterfly rash on the face, hair loss, fatigue, mouth ulcers, swollen and joint pain, lung problems, heart problems, kidney problems. These are some of the symptoms that Lupus can include for her.
However, she came to realize that her own personal journey can be helpful to others and can make a difference. The emotions she feels regularly knowing that having to deal with a chronic illness with no cure is tragic.
Lupus is like a roller coaster, each day you will have your highs and lows. Over the years this disease has manifested into other illnesses including arthritis, Hashimoto, thyroid disease, Neutropenia, Osteopenia and otherunderlying conditions. Other stressors that she has endured are the many visits to specialists, bloodwork every three months, medication changes, and countless medical bills she incur from living each day with Lupus.
Only those with Lupus will understand the challenges Candi faces on a daily basis. However, one day she hopes there is a cure so others won’t have to suffer as she does. Until that day, one thing she has learned through this journey is that it is not easy. Candi has learned to be her biggest advocate, have the confidence and hope for a cure, to keep her faith, not only for herself but, for her husband, her son, and a wonderful grandson. They give her a purpose and a reason to keep fighting and not to give up.
You do not want to miss this powerful evening of inspiration, hope, and celebration!
Through her experiences, she has learned to appreciate every day she wakes up and remind herself that she’s more than someone with Lupus. She’s a warrior, and she’s here to remind you that even on the hard days, Lupus will not defeat her, she will fight it. Like stated in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.
🎟️ Tickets are still available! Purchase online at 4 A Sisters Club 📞 Or call: 337-258-1666
His name is Jude Pitts, Grand Marshal for this years End Lupus Walk, he was diagnosed with SLE lupus in 2013. What began as a diagnosis became a journey that has tested his strength, faith, and endurance in ways he never imagined. Through countless medications, multiple biopsies, and even participation in a clinical trial, he has continued to fight—not just for his health, but for hope.
Jude path has included chemotherapy and ongoing injections to manage this disease, and although it has been nine months since his last treatment due to shingles, his fight has never paused. Each challenge has shaped him, not broken him.
He stands today as a testament to resilience, choosing courage over fear and purpose over pain. His journey is not just about lupus—it’s about perseverance, awareness, and the unwavering belief that even in the hardest moments, strength can rise and hope can endure.
To everyone battling lupus, you are seen, you are strong, and you are never alone in this fight. Always remember keep GOD first.
Tickets at 4asistersclub.com Busy 🐝 Louisiana
lafayettelouisiana #everyonefollowers #followerseveryone #communitysupport #lupuslife #lupussupport #lupusawarenessmonth Nick Cannon Toni Braxton
Cindy calls herself a doer and giver. She’s a certified personal trainer, a mentor, Life & Health Coach, mother and grandmother – and the owner of Time for Results Fitness, a fitness group geared to helping women discover how strong they are despite a size, age or illness.
She also hosts support groups for women that have been victims of sexual assault, crimes of violence, suicide and molestation.
When she was 22, she felt as if her world was going to slip away. Suddenly, after the birth of her son, it was painful to perform daily task, body aches, fevers, vomiting, constantly tired or sick.
Her symptoms included fibromyalgia, severe fatigue, fevers, sore throats, butterfly rash on the face and chest,hair loss, mouth ulcers, arthritis, lung and heart problems,unexplained bruising, weight loss/gain, fluid retention , brain fog, gastrointestinal issues such as severe C.V. and prolapse heart valve.
Years later, after she was diagnosed with LUPUS. Although African American women like herself have a greater risk of developing the disease, most haven’t heard of lupus, or know little about it. “Why isn’t lupus becoming a household name for women of color?” She wondered. Now, Cindy don’t wonder. Now she’s a full-fledged lupus warrior – even as she battles daily symptoms. Cindy participates in mentoring, 5k, obstacles courses, sister circle meetings and fitness coaching! But it took her many years to come to terms with her diagnosis and the fact that no one including the people close to her would understand her pain. Cindy had to overcome feeling ill and alone all at the same time. This lead to being diagnosed with anxiety and depression. Which the doctor stated lots of women with Lupus do develop.
Cindy Turpeau-Zenon also remember apologizing to her family in prayer for being ill and for wanting to spend more time alone recovering from daily task. But in time she found other lupus sisters, as well as perfectly healthy friends who became strong advocates and her top supporters. She managed to battle it all and is still here to tell other women that there is so more fight in us! There is no longer a reason to stay overwhelmed with feelings of loneliness and isolation when you first find out you have lupus. Reach out to another people.
Cindy’s voice combined with others is no longer an echo, but an instrument to move mountains!
The support is available through the Foundations, 4 A’s Sisters Lupus Club, doctors, friends and family. It can be like a door opening and thousands of people like you and her are standing on the other side, as though waiting for the next “Cindy.”
Cindy have been actively involved in the health and wellness industry to assist other women like herself and live every day to the fullest – whether it’s hiking with her family and friends or spending the day in bed.
Cindy later found that her pregnancy may have been a trigger for lupus flare, although lupus flared from that moment on, She’s thankful for her family.
Today, she is still hoping for a remission of all symptoms. CINDY family is doing well and have even become more compassionate.
At the end of the day, Cindy realized that allowing her circle to see her battle and fight whatever lupus brings her way is only going to prepare them for whatever life may bring to them as well. Sometimes, that might be a healthy brownie or cupcake lol, a fitness day or a day in bed. Cindy just take it all one day at a time.
She’s a lupus warrior but more importantly She’s CINDY!
Her advice is to never judge because looks like YOU… Lupus looks like HER.
Guest Speaker for 4 A’s Sisters Lupus Club meeting on February 19th, a licensed Medicare agent, I help individuals and families confidently navigate their Medicare options with clarity and care.
My goal is to simplify what can feel overwhelming by providing honest guidance, personalized plan comparisons, and ongoing support—at no additional cost to you.
I believe Medicare decisions should be based on your health needs, budget, and long-term peace of mind, not pressure. I’m committed to educating my clients and advocating for coverage that truly works for their lives.
As a Medicare agent, I believe in serving others with honesty, wisdom, and compassion. Rooted in faith and guided by the principle of loving your neighbor, I am committed to helping clients understand their Medicare options clearly and choose coverage that brings peace of mind.
My goal is to serve—not sell—and to be a trusted resource you can rely on year after year. Busy
diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus at age 13, 1983. I am now 55 years old. I attended to two different colleges for music University of South Alabama and had a full scholarship for Delta State University Music performance Major /Music therapist degree.
My lupus history… My Lupus was very active during my teenage years, so much that I had to almost drop out of high school. I was a “gifted “ student so my parents looked into enrolling me in the public school system. There I could stay home and receive a home school education. My lupus started to stabilize and I was able to go back to my catholic high school. Taking extra classes, I was able to graduate on time with my classmates. I felt very blessed to do this. I sang at our high school graduation, and I also won my high school Talent show! I felt like singing was my gift that would take me anywhere and it actually did.
Lupus has managed to attack every single organ in my body, one exception, it hasn’t attacked my liver. It’s been brutal on my heart and my lungs. age 21 it attacked my heart so badly, they had to drop 3 grams of steroids in my body iv over three days. It was brutal!
I have noticed that my big flares where my lupus attacks my organs, every 6-8 years. These flares are bad, regardless of what I do, they still happen. It’s very discouraging, but I have learned that I have a God who is bigger than all of this, and in Him I have found comfort and peace.
23 I moved to Los Angeles for my singing career. I was under the care of Dr Daniel Wallace, celebrity and expert rheumatologist. he kept me very healthy. I only suffered a few hospitalizations mainly because of stress and not knowing when to stop working. I was young and wanted to party and go go go. Unfortunately, you can’t drink alcohol and go like there’s no tomorrow when you have lupus.
At 31 I had to have a hip surgery, because my hip broke. All those steroids finally took a toll. Age 35 lupus attacked both my kidneys and my heart. My heart had something called Libman-Sacks Endocarditis, and I had stage 4 class 3 lupus nephritis. I had to have open heart surgery to replace my heart valve with a mechanical heart valve, ( but when I was having a this surgery they didn’t know what was wrong with me, it was exploratory heart surgery) I didn’t have a heart valve left my cardio thoracic surgeon told me. He said divine intervention was what was keeping me alive. I was amazed that a heart surgeon was saying that. (I had a blood clot in my heart as a complication, and had my mom not been visiting me, I would have died. My rheumatologist managed to convince my cardiologist to let him start my chemo treatment for my kidneys while I was still in the hospital. After years of treatment my kidneys are back to normal 100% function, and my Nephrologist calls me his model Kidney Patient!
Today I just want to educate people about Lupus and ARDS.
Age 45 The experience that changed my life forever. I had started flaring about two years earlier, and I was on Rituximab, and all my other Lupus meds, plus my meds for fibromyalgia and Sjogren’s, and RA. when we had gone out of town to celebrate my husband’s birthday. I became so sick, I had to go back to the hotel room, and go to sleep. We went home the next day and I went to my doctor. I remember feeling very uneasy about this. I just had this feeling something wasn’t right. And it wasn’t. My condition kept deteriorating despite the antibiotics and the steroids and the shots that they gave me. I told my husband, and I never say this, “Take me to the ER!I feel like I am dying!” He’s sick too now. And he’s coughing . His parents have us in the car, they take him to his doctor while I wait, in the car, in the rain. Meanwhile, I am running a fever, and getting worse. He comes out. They said he has Pneumonia. We are finally headed to the ER. I’m immediately admitted to the hospital, I have pneumonia. That night I coded. I knew that I was dying. My lungs had filled with so much fluid I couldn’t breathe. My pulmonologist, a doctor who has known me since I was 20 years old, talked with my husband and I about putting me on a ventilator. We decided yes. I was in a coma for 5 weeks. In ICU for 16 weeks, intubated 3 different times including tracheotomy, and I was on a ventilator for almost 5 months. I had this all happen because we are susceptible to ARDS Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.
I am still on continuous oxygen, and I am in end stage lung disease. I have now been diagnosed with the terminal disease Pulmonary fibrosis. I have been in a wheelchair since 2016. because of my lungs,and their inability to function properly. Every day I ask God to help me help others, and help me to be more understanding, to be a better version of myself, to be a better listener and a better friend . Today I just want to educate people about lupus and ARDS how did I NOT know about ARDS, something that changed my whole life forever?
I no longer have my powerhouse voice that people who heard me sing , used to say, you sound like Whitney Houston. I used to be angry about losing my lungs, and my ability to perform, and gain an income from my voice. God gave me a different voice. I found out that I cannot have a lung transplant because I would not survive the surgery, I place all my hope and trust in the Lord, since doing so I also found out that I am in end stage lung disease, but I also found out that my lupus was in remission! So God is good! Plus, my dear husband, with his wisdom, as my advocate, with everything I taught him, saved my voice by doing a tracheotomy Ladies and Gentleman who have any illness, please teach your other half how to advocate if you cannot speak for yourself! It’s so important!!!. So I can still sing, I just can’t sing loudly or hold notes for a long time. Life is different now, but it’s beautiful, and I am very grateful! 🙏🏼💜✝️
Don’t forget to check out Lupus Warrior Princess, is a lupus awareness page that I have run since 2012, but really been devoted to since 2016. I also have an on line support group since I have become bedridden, called Live with Lupus Warrior Princess. It’s really very helpful for those of us who may be hospitalized, or who are on oxygen or worse, in terrible health situations.
Please note that some medicals schools will accept body donations from those that had lupus however, there is little to no chance that the donation will be used for lupus research or education. If your wish is to donate to a medical school, please check with the school first to see if is fulfills your wishes.
She is a retired preschool teacher of sixteen years. She has been living and thriving with Systemic Lupus Erythematous for over twenty years in Little Rock, Arkansas. A volunteer and a lupus advocate spreading lupus awareness near and far. She is a Lupus Warrior and a Lupus Champion boxing lupus 365 days a year acclaiming God as her victory being everything she needs and more! Her first lupus symptoms began at age nine.
After being misdiagnosed for over twenty- five years and four hip surgeries later she received a diagnosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematous while being hospitalized for two weeks with chronic pain, fever of an unknown origin ,chronic urticaria and fatigue.
She stated, “Finally having an answer was welcomed after so many years of unanswered questions.”
At age twenty -nine Antoinette was diagnosed with a vascular necrosis of both hips a condition she developed from chronic steroid usage for treatment of chronic inflammation and joint pain.
She received hip surgeries at age twenty -nine bilateral core drillings to relieve the pain that she was suffering. The surgeries were not successful ,at the age of thirty she received total hip replacements in both hips . Still not having a diagnosis of lupus she continued with steroids to gain some relief from all the inflammation, joint pain and rashes. She developed hypertension and steroid induced diabetes. By the mercy and grace of God he allowed her to return to work after rehabilitation.
In 2010 she started having more problems with her hips and was forced to retire from her teaching position. In 2014she was diagnosed with metallosis a condition that she developed from the metal on metal hip implants that she had received in 2000. In January 2014 Antoinette had her fifth hip surgery and turned 45 in the hospital and once again went through rehab. Thankful that God taught her to walk again she never misses an opportunity to tell others of the Lemonade that God has made and continues to make in her life!
he medications that she received for pain after the surgery caused a new condition gastroparesis it slowed down the process of digesting food, stomach pain and not allowing food to stay down she was now losing unwanted weight!
In 2019 during a horrible lupus flare she proclaimed that people with lupus can live and thrive. It is during this time that she created the Lupus Champions Facebook group A support group dedicated to spreading and promoting lupus awareness. In this group we are encouraging help ,hope, healing, positively inspiring words, inspirational stories, resources and more ! We Are Living And Thriving With Lupus One year … One month … One week… One day …. One hour … One minute… And one second at a time 💜❤️🥊❤️ In 2023 Antoinette had an occipital lobe stroke affecting her vision ,balance and her cognitively. After being hospitalized doctors discovered that she has a pea size blockage in her brain.
“I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but I do know who holds tomorrow”, she stated !
When Life Gives You Lemons Let God Make The Lemonade. Busy 🐝
