SLE Fund

The treatment for an SLE sufferer depends on the symptoms he or she experiences and how severe they are. In treating SLE, the doctor has to prevent flares, treat the flares, and minimise organ damage and complications.

The main treatment in SLE involves the use of corticosteroids, the most common being prednisolone. Long-term side effects of corticosteroids can include weakened bones (osteoporosis), high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar (diabetes), damage to the arteries, infections, and cataracts.

As such, Persatuan SLE Malaysia (PSLEM) has started an SLE Fund to help needy patients who have to undergo joint replacement and cataract operations due to the side effects of corticosteroids. The SLE Fund will subsidise the purchase of their prosthesis or lens implant.

What will the SLE Fund cover?

• The subsidy will cover up to 90% of the cost of the implant. The surgery will have to be performed at a government-funded hospital.
• The SLE Fund will not cover other costs pertaining to surgery, drugs or accommodation
• Payments will be made directly to the supplier of the implant. No monies will be transferred to the patient.

Who is eligible?

• The recipient patient must be a Malaysian citizen or permanent resident.
• The recipient’s monthly income should not be more than RM2,000.

How do I apply for assistance?

• Please download the application form here.

Who do I need to validate my application?

• You will require two attending specialists to help validate your need for either joint replacement or cataract operation.
• If you require joint replacement, please get the doctor treating you (the doctor should be a Rheumatologist or Nephrologist) plus the Orthopaedic Surgeon who will perform the operation to fill in Part (B) of the form.
• If you require a cataract operation, please get the doctor treating you (the doctor should be a Rheumatologist or Nephrologist) plus the Ophthalmologist who will perform the operation to fill in Part (B) of the form.
• You will need to fill in your social and family details, which will have to be verified by a social worker from the government-funded hospital where you are being treated.

Besides the application form, what other documents will I have to submit?

• A photostat copy of your identification card
• Details of your last drawn salary
• An official quotation from the supplier of the prosthesis or lens implant

Who will approve my application?

• Persatuan SLE Malaysia’s Executive Committee will review your application. Approval will be based on eligibility, need and availability of funds.

How long will the approval process take?

• Executive Committee meetings are usually held once a month. If all your documents are in order, it will be reviewed at the very next Executive Committee meeting. You will be informed of the outcome of your application on the next working day after the meeting.

Where does the SLE Fund get its money from?

• The SLE Fund depends on donations from the public and money raised by Persatuan SLE Malaysia (PSLEM). PSLEM appeals to all persons and corporate bodies to donate towards the SLE Fund. All donations to PSLEM are tax deductible.
• If you would like to make a contribution, please make your cheque payable to “Persatuan SLE Malaysia” and send to:
  Persatuan SLE Malaysia
  3rd Floor, Bangunan Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah
  16, Jalan Utara, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
  Tel: (03) 7957-7672
  Fax: (03) 7957-0407
  E-mail: pslem@streamyx.com
  Website: www.lupusmalaysia.org