At 25, Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay-Villar suddenly experienced an onslaught of seemingly unrelated health crises.
What began with skin rashes developed into joint pain, then indescribable fatigue, dizziness, and progressed to hair loss. With optimism, the determined mother of one pursued to find clarity in her medical dilemma. Only later would she learn that she has Lupus— a condition whose symptoms only a handful of specialists in the country would recognize.
After Villar learned of her diagnosis, she dove headfirst into learning all she could about Lupus. Hours upon hours of research as intense as any court hearing, have better equipped her to deal with the invisible illness. It was at this time that she decided to raise awareness for the lifelong condition in the country, creating the “Hope for Lupus Foundation.”
Today, the foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to promote the early detection and proper treatment of Lupus by increasing awareness.
Lupus is a chronic and life-long autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system turns on itself and attacks the organs, mistaking them as foreign and harmful. Over 5 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with Lupus. Realistically, this statistic can be even higher since a number of Lupus cases remain undiagnosed.
The Hope for Lupus Foundation has partnered with Gavel&Block by Salcedo Auctions, whose ‘benefit’ auctions over the past four years has raised millions of pesos for the charities and non-profit organizations that it supports. The Gavel&Block ‘benefit’ auction for the Hope for Lupus Foundation will be held online on Saturday, 16 October 2021 via salcedoauctions.com.
The auction will feature close to 100 lots, with proceeds helping to support the foundation’s work in the illness’ early detection and proper treatment. Among the lots going under the gavel are works by leading contemporary Filipino visual artists such as Emmanuel Garibay, Raffy Napay, Jigger Cruz, Alfredo Esquillo, Jr., Manuel Ocampo, Daniel dela Cruz, Winner Jumalon, and Olan Ventura. Also going under the hammer are sterling silver pieces from Cartier and Tiffany & Co., fine Baccarat and Lalique crystal, as well as jewelry by Riqueza and Janina Dizon.
—alike.com.ph
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