Chair of the Board

Keith Lanier

Vice Chair of the Board Burnis J. Chitwood

Treasurer

Chad M. Stiening

Secretary Alfred Kim, MD, Ph.D.

Immediate Past Chair

Kevin Cheung

Board Members John Aton

Gilda S. Baldwin Richard Brasington, MD,

FACP Joel O. Christensen

Eian Clinkscale Arica Evans

Ann Fisher-Jackson Barbara Langsam Shuman

Margie Skiljan Katherine Temprano, MD

Susan Vise

President & CEO

Amy Ondr

Patient Services Manager Rosemary Chustak, MSW

Events & Operations

Manager Beka Rich

Accountant

Melissa Hinshaw, CPA

Dear Friends & Supporters: For a future with no lupus, we must know lupus. That is why we are taking a smarter approach to lupus by focusing on understanding the underlying causes of the disease and funding research that will have the greatest impact for people living with the disease. We are dedicated to improving the way in which new drugs are developed and tested in order to get them in the hands of physicians and patients faster. We are committed now more than ever to make lupus a public health priority. We are working with government and industry leaders to make sure lupus receives the attention and funding needed to improve people’s lives. We also launched the KNOW LUPUS public awareness campaign to educate the public about lupus. We do all of this while providing those living with lupus in Missouri, southern Illinois and eastern Kansas the information, resources, and support they need to live better with lupus. Our website, information and referral, support groups, educational and exercise programs, and a summer youth retreat, provide caring and educated support and the most up-to-date information on living well with lupus.

We are pleased to share this Annual Report with you which highlights our accomplishments over the last fiscal year and the challenges that are ahead. We are confident that with your support, we will continue moving closer to our shared goal–a future with no lupus. Thank you for constantly inspiring us to do more for those touched by lupus. You truly make all of our good work possible. With Thanks, Kevin Cheung Amy Ondr Chair of the Board 2014/15 President & CEO

Top: Laura Rush and her son Axel at the St. Louis Walk to End Lupus Now. Read Laura’s story of living with lupus at www.estherbloomphotography.com/lupusawareness. Photo credit: Lisa Rapp. Middle: Health Fair Volunteers Marshala Bernaugh and Patricia Dees helping to raise awareness of lupus. Bottom: Summer Jam Youth Retreat Campers Kelsey Reitz and JaKay Hardin.

Heartland CEO Amy Ondr & Board Chair Kevin Cheung accepting the 2015 National Education & Support Services Award for our Summer Jam Youth Retreat

The Lupus Foundation of America, Heartland Chapter provides caring support to people living with lupus. We work with health professionals and volunteers to provide information and programs to ensure people with lupus and their families get the information and help they need to improve their quality of life. Mission The Lupus Foundation of America is dedicated to improving the quality of life for all people affected by lupus through programs of research, education, support and advocacy. Support We offer free monthly support groups for individuals living with lupus and their loved ones. These groups provide an opportunity to receive introductory information about lupus, share experiences, support positive coping strategies, and emphasize the importance of medical treatment. Summer Youth Retreat Our annual weekend summer camp is for girls 12 to 19 years of age with lupus. Activities include counseling sessions conducted by a licensed professional counselor, low-impact exercises to help strengthen bodies and improve wellness, and information on how to live well with the disease. Campers also enjoy traditional camp activities. Information & Education Through collaboration with lupus medical experts, we produce accurate information, literature, resources and referrals to help people with lupus better understand and manage their disease. We offer a number of free educational programs like our teleconferences, workshops, and annual lupus conferences. Gentle Exercise Classes In January of 2015 we launched a free monthly yoga class at the Richmond Heights Community Center for those living with lupus. The class has been very popular and continues to increase in attendance.

Lupus Advocacy Summit, Washington DC On June 16, 2015 Heartland Chapter President & CEO Amy Ondr, Patient Services Manager Rosemary Chustak, MSW and Board Chair Kevin Cheung (pictured left) joined nearly 200 lupus activists from across the country on Capitol Hill to urge members of Congress to support at least $32 billion in research funding for the National Institutes of Health and to elevate lupus on the nation’s health care agenda. The event culminated with the Foundation’s National Advocacy Awards Dinner featuring an exclusive “Capitol Conversation on 21

st Century Cures” moderated

by Chuck Todd, Host and Moderator of Meet the Press and NBC News Political Director. Panelists including leaders from Congress, federal agencies, industry and the research community discussed how to accelerate cures for lupus and other chronic diseases.

We believe smarter research will generate faster progress and improve the quality of life for all people with lupus. We challenge what isn’t working and fund and support research that is most hopeful to identify the causes of lupus, understand its progression, accelerate development of new treatments, and ultimately find cures for lupus.

We are fixing what doesn’t work well in lupus research. People with lupus need an arsenal of treatments. The smarter approach to development of new therapies involves improving how new medications are tested and the results evaluated to get more targeted and safer treatments to people with lupus faster.

We are putting lupus on the fast track for success. Research on lupus must be as unique as the disease itself. We provide leadership and coordination to make the nation’s research efforts more efficient so there can be faster progress.

We are committed to advancing research on pediatric lupus. We have responded to the unique challenges of this particularly cruel aspect of the disease by establishing the first and only national pediatric lupus research program to support research on lupus in children and teens.

We rally support to elevate lupus on the national healthcare agenda so it will get the attention and research funding it deserves from public and private sources. We work vigorously to encourage government and industry partners to step up their investment in lupus and we support pioneering lupus researchers at all stages of their careers and recognize their achievements to help develop a new generation of lupus thought leaders.

KNOW LUPUS Campaign The road to no lupus starts with knowing lupus. This is the heart and message of the KNOW LUPUS campaign launched during May Lupus Awareness Month in May of 2015. Building awareness is essential to improve early diagnosis and treatment. In less than a year, the campaign has generated more than 250 million impressions and $10 million in donated media across television, radio and billboards. You may have seen the campaign ads on billboards throughout the St. Louis area and on local television stations. The campaign features some of the best known stars of television and movies–including Whoopi Goldberg, the cast of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, Felicia Day, Ian Harding, Project Runway host, Tim Gunn and other Lifetime Network stars.

Put On Purple Put on Purple Day is held during May Lupus Awareness Month. It provides an easy way for lupus advocates to help raise awareness of lupus and show support for those living with the disease. Our advocates, supporters and the medical community (our friends from the Washington University Lupus Clinic are pictured left) wore purple and shared pictures on social media to help us raise awareness of lupus.

Walk to End Lupus Now The Walk to End Lupus Now™ is our largest fundraising event with over 1,800 walkers in St. Louis and Kansas City. In 2015 our walks raised combined income of $123,000. The St. Louis Walk to End Lupus

Now featured the Cruel Mystery Bus, a 45-foot traveling bus that

features eight interactive exhibits where visitors can experience what it’s like to face lupus, reinforcing the need to end the disease and its

brutal impact. We were also pleased to welcome our first-ever national

Walk sponsor, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals along with our long-time local Premier Sponsor, Emerson.

The Purple Ball The Purple Ball is an elegant gala that features a cocktail reception, live and silent auction, dinner and the presentation of the Lupus Leadership Awards. Lupus Foundation of America President & CEO, Sandra Raymond presented the Founder of the Lupus Foundation of America, Roger Sturdevant with the Ambassador Award (pictured right). Other awardees included: Urban Strategies & McCormack Baron Salazar, SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center Pediatric Division and Saint Louis University Division of Pediatric Rheumatology. The Master of Ceremonies was Jasmine Huda and sponsors included SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center, Health Care Family Credit Union, Urban Strategies & McCormack Baron Salazar, Bank of America and MSG Jewelers. The 2015 Purple Ball raised over $77,000, nearly doubling income since its inception in 2012.

The Lupus WolfRide GrandFondo Lupus WolfRide GranFondo is a long-distance cycling event designed to raise awareness of lupus and to raise funds to support the Heartland Chapter. With a start/finish in beautiful Columbia, IL, the routes are equivalent to the half and full iron man distances (56 & 112 miles), and family friendly routes of 21 & 5.5 miles. In the past 5 years, income from the Lupus WolfRide has doubled. The 2015 ride raised over $41,000 with 127 cyclists. We are grateful to our WolfRide major sponsors: Big Shark Bicycle Company, Keystone IT and Civitas.

Third Party Events A number of clubs, organizations, companies, and individuals held third-party events throughout the year with the proceeds benefitting the Heartland Chapter including: the Lilian Tackitt Meat Shoot, The L.E. Norton Memorial Tournament hosted by the Bradley University Speech Team, and the Group 360 World Wide Dodgeball Tournament (pictured right).

The Heartland Chapter is a proud member of the United Way of Greater St. Louis, Community Health Charities, and the Combined Federal Campaign. We also receive funding from a number of foundations and corporations. We are grateful to the many companies, groups, organizations and individuals who support our mission.

Statement of Financial Position September 30, 2015 ASSETS Cash and Investments $247,089 Pledges Receivable $ 14,980 Accounts Receivable $ 2,700 Prepaid Expenses $ 15,518 Property and Equipment $ 11,791 Other Assets $ 1,264 Total Assets $293,342 LIABILITIES Accounts Payable & Accrued Expenses $ 42,489 Deferred Revenue $ 0 Total Liabilities $ 42,489 NET ASSETS Unrestricted $233,873 Temporarily Restricted $ 16,980 Total Net Assets $250,853 TOTAL LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS $293,342

Statement of Activities September 30, 2015 REVENUE Federated Campaigns $ 68,496 Fundraising Events $253,428 All Other Contributions $ 46,572 Investment Income $ 792 Total Revenue $369,288 EXPENSES Program Services $286,563 Management & General $ 16,698 Fundraising $ 63,373 Total Expenses $364,634 REVENUE LESS EXPENSE $ 4,654

Fundraising Events—68% Federated Campaigns—19% Other Contributions—13%

Programs & Services—79% Fundraising—16% Management & General—5%

A complete copy of the Lupus Foundation of America, Heartland Chapter’s financial statement is available upon request.

Make a Secure Tax Deductible Donation. Visit lfaheartland.org/donate or mail your check made payable to the Lupus Foundation of America, Heartland Chapter, 4640 Shenandoah Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110

Start a Team and Register for the Walk to End Lupus Now™. The nation’s largest lupus walk raises money for local programs and services, lupus research, increases awareness of lupus, and rallies public support. We have Walks in both St. Louis and Kansas City.

Become a Volunteer. Volunteering for the Heartland Chapter means you have an opportunity to touch the lives of people with lupus and fulfill your own. When you volunteer, you can make a meaningful difference in your community while helping people living with lupus. We have flexible options and opportunities that fit your schedule.

Become a Corporate Sponsor. Each year, many companies join the movement to solve the cruel mystery of lupus. Align your brand and company with our cause and those living with lupus.

Get Social & Stay Informed. If you participate in social media, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram. Repost and retweet from our pages and mention us in your posts and tweets. Stay informed about upcoming events and programs by joining our email update list.

Share Your Personal Lupus Story. When you advocate for the people and causes that are important to you, you are employing the single most powerful tool only you have—your personal story. If you are living with lupus or have a loved one with lupus, we want to help you share your story to raise awareness, change minds, educate and give voice to others living with lupus.

For more information please go to lfaheartland.org or contact us at

info@lfaheartland.org or 314-644-2222 or toll free at 800-958-7876.

We thank our supporters, volunteers, donors and activists who join with us year after year in the fight to end lupus. Without you, our work would not be possible. We are partners with a shared mission to

improve the quality of life for those affected by lupus. Will you join the fight?

#76442

Thank You to Our Major Event

and Program Sponsors

Ameren

Bank of America

Big Shark Bicycle Company

Emerson

Employees Community Fund of Boeing St. Louis

Genentech

Glaxo SmithKline

Health Care Family Credit Union

Healthcare USA

Keystone IT

Kypha, Inc.

Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals

McCormack Baron Salazar

Mississippi River Eagles

MSG Jewelers

SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center

St. Louis Blues 14 Fund

Urban Strategies

Washington University School of Medicine