3 weeks ago
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AS THE Lupus Foundation of Jamaica (LFJ) marks its 41st year of service, Suzette Roper honours her late mother’s memory through a gift of healing and art for Lupus Warriors, facilitated by creative wellness pioneer, Shawn Ashman.
At 41, Suzette Roper is embracing life with meaning and purpose, and with a heart full of remembrance. For the Jamaican woman now living overseas, this birthday was unlike any before. It marked not just a personal milestone, but a moment steeped in memory. Her mother, who passed away from lupus, was also just 41 when she died.
In her mother’s honour, Roper turned her own birthday into a tribute of compassion, love, and hope. She invited her friends and loved ones to each donate USD$41 reflecting the age she and her mother now share and raised funds to sponsor a deeply meaningful event for those living with lupus in Jamaica.
The result was a fully funded Sip & Paint experience hosted by the LFJ, recently at Summit, Kingston. The evening, titled ‘Colours of Healing: Painting Your Journey to Wellness’, offered a safe and creative space for persons living with lupus to process, connect, and heal using the therapeutic power of art.
While Roper was present physically, her sister delivered the donation and represented her at the event, a powerful act of sisterhood, solidarity, and remembrance.
“For my 41st birthday, I chose to support the Lupus Foundation of Jamaica because this age holds deep personal meaning for me,” Roper said.
“It is the same age my mother was when she passed away from lupus. In her honour, I asked friends and family to make donations of US$41 to help support men, women, and families facing the serious health challenges that come with this disease. Supporting the foundation felt like the most meaningful way to honour her life – turning my birthday into a gift of hope for others,” she added.
The LFJ partnered with Shawn Ashman, widely recognised as one of Jamaica’s leading voices in creative wellness, and a trailblazer in transforming the Sip & Paint model into an empowering support group format. Through her expert facilitation, participants will be guided in painting personal masterpieces that reflect their journey with lupus, the struggles, the survival, and the unwavering light of possibility.
This initiative is not a stand-alone project. It reflects the very soul of the Lupus Foundation of Jamaica, now celebrating its 41st year of service. For over four decades, the LFJ has stood as a place of knowledge, advocacy, and community for those impacted by this debilitating autoimmune condition.
“This event beautifully captures what the Lupus Foundation of Jamaica strives to be every day – a source of strength, solace, and support for those affected by lupus,” said Tishauna Mullings, executive director of the foundation.
“We are here for the Lupus Warrior who needs help with medical expenses. We are here for the mother or daughter navigating mental and emotional strain. We are here for the person who lost someone they love and does not know where to turn. We are that family. We are a space where grief can be transformed into legacy, and where pain can become purpose. We want Lupus Warriors to know that their lives matter, their stories matter, and that we will walk beside them in every season – to help them heal, thrive, and build a future filled with colour,” Mullings added.
Participants at the Sip & Paint received all painting materials, guided art instruction, and light refreshments. More importantly, they left with something far greater, a renewed sense of dignity, visibility, and connection.
SOURCE: Lupus Foundation of Jamaica
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