It's almost Lupus Awareness Month, so that means pull out all your beautiful purple shirts because purple is the official color for lupus. I’m so honored to say I am a true lupus supporter. Nearly two-thirds of the public knows little or nothing about the disease beyond the name. So what exactly is lupus?

Most people are unaware of this disease but unfortunately, it affects millions even celebrities, including Selena Gomez and Toni Braxton. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body skin, joints, and even organs.

Instead of white blood cells protecting the body, it does the opposite by attacking them. It’s been proven that lupus raises an individual's possibility of developing heart disease and having strokes. So what causes it?

Researchers have now identified more than 50 genes which they associate with lupus, and actually, lupus can develop in people with no family history of it. Primarily, lupus is more common in African-Americans, Hispanics, and Asians. As you can see, it's difficult to diagnose, a challenge to treat, and to make things worse, there is no cure. Unfortunately, I’ve had the opportunity to watch an individual very close to me, my sister, La Cena Powell, fight the many obstacles lupus throws her way.

My sister was diagnosed with lupus in early 2007.

She didn’t know, but lupus will forever change her life.

Lupus made her develop multiple chronic diseases, including scleroderma, which is a chronic hardening and tightening of the skin. Her lupus attacks the bones and muscles, which sometimes makes her unable to move her body. I remember numerous times where I would have to feed her because she was merely paralyzed due to the excruciating pain.

As time progressed, lupus severed and she ultimately lost her job due to the many days of doctor’s appointments and chemotherapy treatments that poisoned her body and triggered more damaging effects. As an outsider looking in, no one will understand the invisible pain that she goes through.

Lupus is something that an outsider wouldn’t understand. It affects millions, and half of those millions don’t even know that they are living with this disease. I just want people to know that lupus is very serious and being educated on this disease is very important.

My sister has inspired me in many ways than she knows, she’s a fighter and she doesn’t let a disease define her as a person.