Collections by Michelle Brown WSG Lupus Warrior Beverly Humphrey

Beverly Humphrey is a 67-year-old African American woman who was diagnosed with lupus in 1976 at age 26.  She has been living with the disease for 41 years. 

Beverly was the first in her family to receive a diagnosis of systemic lupus. Her younger sister was diagnosed two years later and passed away in 2001 from complications related to lupus.   Years later, Beverly's oldest niece was also diagnosed with lupus.  By that time, Beverly had been living with lupus for 27 years and was instrumental in getting her niece to the proper health care services. Like most lupus patients, Beverly has experienced her share of challenges in her determination to live victoriously in spite of this difficult diagnosis.  Some of her achievements include earning her Bachelor's degree in social work in 2006 and just this past May, earning her master's degree in counseling from the University of Detroit Mercy.  

Beverly has served as a leader, and speaker for many women’s groups on a variety of topics ranging from spirituality, HIV/AIDS, to what it means to live with lupus.  Most importantly Beverly is passionate about helping to encourage and empower women to live their best lives not in spite of the challenges they face with a lupus diagnosis, but because of those challenges.  She truly is a LUPUS Warrior.