On December 13, about 200 people, made up of people suffering from Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), their families, and friends, walked 4 km with opened umbrellas around the heart of Kuching city to raise public awareness of the auto-immune disorder.

The Walk-a-Payung (WAP) used the umbrella to emphasise that SLE patients have to avoid the sun. The event was organised by PSLEM’s recently formed Kuching Chapter whose main objectives are to create public awareness of SLE, to counsel patients and their families on how to cope with the disease, and to provide social and psychological support and financial assistance to needy SLE patients.

Said Ms. Ingrid Ning, the Chairperson of the WAP Organising Committee, “About 20 of us patients and family members met together three months ago and decided that it was time to start a support group for SLE patients in Kuching, just like the SLE support groups that patients in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Sandakan, and Penang have started under Persatuan SLE Malaysia. This Walk-a-Payung is our first event to raise public awareness of SLE as well as to inform patients in Kuching in particular, and Sarawak in general, of our existence.”

WAP Committee Chairperson Ingrid Ning welcoming participants to the
Walk-a-Payung 2009 event in Kuching

Kuching Chapter Medical Adviser Dr. Teh Cheng Lay thanking the sponsors

WAP participants posing for a picture at the scenic Amphitheatre in
Jalan Budaya, Kuching – the starting point of the walkathon

Off to a good start, umbrellas in hand

“Yes, we finished, and among the first to do so, too!”

Support all the way from Head Office – Lucy Goh (right) and and Liew Nyet Nyuen from the PSLEM Secretariat in Petaling Jaya helping out at this year’s Walk-a-Payung event in Kuching