This is a picture of Diane with some of her Lupie friends this past February at a Lupus Awareness Quilt Show in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Mary T., Janice, Beth, Diane & Frank


Diane had Lupus, an auto-immune disorder that little is known about the cause or treatment because it is primarily a women's disease. More people have Lupus than MS, MD, Leukemia, Aids and a host of other diseases COMBINED.

We the patients of these diseases are making quilts, similar to the Aids quilts, to tour the world to promote public awareness. We need help in getting these squares made because we are ill and can not do it alone. If you can PLEASE consider making us some squares for our quilts. The quilts tour the country to promote and support Lupus awareness. This past fall one of our quilts was on display in Washington when we had a bill on the floor in the Senate for money for Lupus Research.

Here is newspaper articles about the quilt show that Diane was involved with that you can read if you have the internet.

https://www.angelfire.com/sc2/lupiebeth/reunionpics.html

  The squares are to be 7 in. by 7 in. of cotton material leaving 1 in. all the way around to be sewn to the quilt. The square can have any theme, favorite saying, anything you'd like on it. It can be painted, sewn, cross stitched, glued, anything you can imagine. If you know someone who has Lupus or any autoimmune disease please put their name on the square. We add the backing to the squares. Each square will have a name put on it of someone who suffers with a disease.

This is a wonderful memorial for you to do in Diane's honor. You can give the finished squares to one of Diane's family members or you can mail it directly to me to send in. So far we have 9 Awareness Quilts and 3 Memorial Quilts since we started this project.

LUPUS QUILT POEM

Judge me not for beauty,

Judge me not for charm.

Don't scrutinize my imperfection,

And all the uneven stitches.

But listen to the story,

That's trying to be told.

There's a wolf raging inside of us,

And that wolf is called Lupus.

Oh, for so long,

we've stood alone.

Feeling completely powerless,

Loss of control,

Our belief and faith fading.

The raging wolf,

acts in mysterious way,

Attacking us here,

Attacking us there,

Till the body fails completely,

Our mind's intact, trapped inside.

Listen to our cries of help,

Hear our powerless pleas.

Behind each quilt

Is a story to tell.

Listen please and listen well,

Of strong spirits,

Who carry on to help each other.

Through pain and trials

no other could understand,

Of tears and love and many hearts.

To meet in unconditional friendship,

We stand together,

Our voices loud to be heard.

So with a stitch in time,

Block by block,

Held together with threads of love.

We unite to educate

And say,

You're not alone.

Written by Chelsea, Felecia and Marcia

OUR CANDLES BURN BRIGHT FOR OUR SWEET NEW LUPIE ANGEL DIANE......WE WILL LOVE YOU ALWAYS!!!!!

MONDAY MAY 15,2000

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C