A guest commentary posted by Huffingtonpost.com tells the story of Dawn Baker-Williams and her decades-long journey to obtain a correct diagnosis of lupus. In a survey conducted by the Lupus Foundation of America, it was revealed that, on average, people with lupus live with symptoms six years before they are about to obtain a lupus diagnosis. During this time period, they often go untreated or treated for the wrong condition, contributing to an accumulation of organ damage that can put the individual in a life-threatening situation.
