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Woman's struggle with Lupus turns to support for others

01 / 24 / 2008

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APPLETON, Wis. – When Peg Wojchik’s pain continued after being diagnosed with mononucleosis as a teenager, she knew something was wrong.

“I was really achy, and the mono was not getting any better,” says Woljchik.

After evaluating all of Wojchik’s symptoms, her doctors determined Wojchik had developed Lupus, an autoimmune disease where the body can’t distinguish between foreign bodies, like viruses or bacteria, and healthy tissue. Lupus affects a variety of different organ systems, but the disease is most characterized by fatigue and joint pain.  

Now, at age 48, Wojchik, Appleton, is helping other Lupus patients cope with the disease through the Lupus support group at St. Elizabeth Hospital. “Our group allows people affected by the disease to meet, find support and to find answers,” says Wojchik.

The group meeting includes discussion about a variety of different topics. “We want patients and their families to be informed about the disease,” says Wojchik. “We’ll bring in doctors, talk about new treatments and medications, introduce pain management techniques, like Tai Chi, and help people get in touch with government resources.”

Wojchik says the group is free to the public and encourages people to live beyond Lupus. “Though there is no cure for Lupus, you can live with it and live a very good life.”

The Lupus support group meets from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. the first Monday of the month in the Conference Center Staff room at St. Elizabeth Hospital. For more information or questions pertaining to Lupus, please contact Affinity’s Rheumatology department at (920) 727-8020.

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For the Editor:
Affinity Health System, a faith-based regional health care network, is the Fox Valley’s second-largest employer, according to the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry. For the fourth consecutive year, Affinity has been named one of the nation’s top 64 health systems based on clinical performance according to Thomson Reuters, a leading provider of information and solutions to improve the cost and quality of health care. For ten consecutive years, Affinity Health System has been named to the SDI (formerly Verispan) Integrated Health Network Top 100, an annual assessment of the 100 most highly integrated health care networks in the nation. Both St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton and Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh rank among the top 1 percent of hospitals nationwide in terms of quality and efficiency, as determined by the 2007 Premier | CareScience Select practice National Quality Award. Members of Affinity include Mercy Medical Center and Mercy Health Foundation, Oshkosh; St. Elizabeth Hospital and the St. Elizabeth Hospital Foundation, Appleton; Affinity Medical Group, a regional network of 25 family practice and specialty clinics – 22 of which are recognized as NCQA Level III medical homes, the highest level of recognition – in 14 communities; Calumet Medical Center, Chilton; and Affinity Occupational Health.