Jamaica Hospital, in collaboration with the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, boasts Queens’ very first Lupus Center. Located at the MediSys Family Care Center in St. Albans, the center provides specialized, state-of-the-art medical care, as well as ongoing medical group support, to patients diagnosed with lupus or those who have been told they may have lupus.

At the center, patients have access to the latest information on medical advances and receive educational materials on topics such as diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment. In addition, patients are able to participate in clinical research aimed at better understanding and treating the disease.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that affects many Americans, primarily African American, Hispanic and Asian women between the ages of 15 and 45. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, more than 16,000 Americans develop lupus each year, with an estimated two million Americans currently living with some form of lupus. Lupus is characterized by fatigue, joint pain or swelling, fever, skin rash, and less often, mouth sores and hair loss. While most cases are mild and only affect a few organs, the disease can be more severe and even life-threatening.

The Lupus Center is staffed by expert rheumatologists from the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and hosts various educational community outreach programs throughout the year. For more information about the Lupus Center or to schedule an appointment, call 718-206-9888 or the Lupus Hotline at 1-877-33 LUPUS.

The St. Albans Clinic is located at 111-20 Merrick Blvd., St. Albans, NY 11433.