Sjögren’s (SHOW-grins) is the second most prevalent rheumatic autoimmune disease. It is a systemic, serious and prevalent disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the moisture producing glands. As many as four million Americans are affected by Sjögren's, making it three times more common than better known related diseases such as Lupus and Multiple Sclerosis, and nine out of ten Sjögren’s patients are women. While hallmark symptoms include dry eye, dry mouth, fatigue and joint pain, Sjögren’s is a systemic autoimmune disease, which means it can also attack any organ or body. Unfortunately, Sjögren's remains relatively unknown and is often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, with the average time from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis being 2.8 years.
The Sjögren’s Foundation is the only national non-profit dedicated to increasing education, awareness and research for Sjögren’s. Founded in 1983, the Foundation has grown into a multi-faceted organization that has expanded its outreach, increased its funding for research and education, and continues to raise awareness for this common, yet complex disease.
The Sjögren's Foundation's mission is to:
The Sjögren's Foundation envisions a world where Sjögren's is a household name and we are extremely focused on making this vision a reality.
In the upcoming year, the Foundation plans to: