It is estimated that 1 to 2 million Americans have lupus; however, little is understood about the disease and how it affects its sufferers. Patients diagnosed with lupus or suspected of having it often do not know what to expect, do not understand the procedures they must undergo, and do not understand what is happening in their bodies, so they cannot participate in their own health care. The Challenges of Lupus was written to help lupus patients better take care of themselves through better understanding of their disease.