Autoimmune Life Blog

Community and news about autoimmune diseases, allergies and more.

Blog Main Image - BRI Researcher Woman Participant Man Blood Draw
February 14, 2018

Why Individual Contributions Matter More Than You’d Expect

If you’ve ever donated to a cause you care about, you may have found yourself wondering about how much of an impact your contribution made. You may be surprised to learn that individual contributions are actually the most powerful support mechanism for nonprofits to continue doing great work.

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February 8, 2018

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is not one size fits all. MS is a disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective myelin sheath that covers nerves - resulting in damage that disrupts communications between the brain and the body.

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Blog Main Image - Woman Worried Looking Room
January 25, 2018

Do I Have Celiac Disease?

Celiac disease is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people in the United States and its incidence appears to be rising. In addition, 2.5 million Americans are undiagnosed and may be at risk for long-term health complications.

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January 12, 2018

5 Ways to Manage Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

Recent research has significantly improved therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and have furthered understanding about the disease, but there is still no cure.

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Blog Main Image -  Henry Achilles (Editorial)
January 4, 2018

How a Toddler Helps Drive Research Forward

Most toddlers spend their time finger painting and making mud pies.

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Blog Main Image - BRI Researcher Samples Hood 1
December 28, 2017

Turning the Tide in Lupus Research

As people who are affected by lupus know, it is one of the most puzzling and complex autoimmune diseases, according to Benaroya Research Institute scientists and Virginia Mason clinical researchers. Diagnosis is difficult because it can affect all the systems of the body.

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Blog Main Image - Soccer Sunset
December 19, 2017

Good Medicine and Perseverance: A Winning Strategy for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Playing competitive soccer for most of her 26 years, Dani Foxhoven knows something about pain. Bumps and bruises are routine; rolled ankles are hardly unique. In high school, Dani made a slide tackle to block a shot, the ball fracturing her femur just above the knee (she made a full recovery).

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Blog Main Image - BRI Equipment Centrifuge Spinning
December 13, 2017

Immunotherapy to Cure Type 1 Diabetes

Researchers at Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason (BRI) and Seattle Children’s Research Institute are making key progress in their quest for an immunotherapy that cures type 1 diabetes once and for all.

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Blog Main Image -  Morris Family (Editorial)
December 8, 2017

Morris Family Commitment to Type 1 Diabetes Community

The Morris family was celebrating Christmas when they realized their nine-year-old son Jordan needed to go to the doctor. Recently he was losing weight, urinating often, extremely thirsty and exhausted. His mother, Leslie Morris, a nurse, suspected type 1 diabetes (T1D).

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December 5, 2017

Three Sisters Honor Their Mother

Three sisters, Jeanne, Marilyn and Carol Kleyn, all joined the early research project SERA and the follow-up TIP-RA study. Their mother Peggy Kleyn was diagnosed with RA around 76 years of age.

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