Allsup Awards Disability Literacy Grant to the Scleroderma Foundation
Belleville, IL (PRWEB) January 23, 2014 -- Scleroderma Foundation supporters posting why they “fight scleroderma,” on Facebook, earned the organization a $2,500 grant from Allsup, the company announced today. Allsup is a nationwide provider of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) representation.
“The posts we received on Allsup’s Facebook page during Scleroderma Awareness Month in June personalized the impact this disease has on individuals, families and friends and reflected the fighting spirit of the scleroderma community,” said Tai Venuti, Allsup manager of strategic alliances.
The posts were part of the Scleroderma Foundation’s participation in the Allsup Post for a PurposeSM initiative, designed to increase disability literacy.
Scleroderma is a chronic connective tissue disease generally classified as one of the autoimmune rheumatic diseases. The Social Security Administration recognizes scleroderma as a potentially disabling condition.
“I fight scleroderma because it took my children’s gramma away before some of them even had a chance to know her. It is a horrible disease that needs to be brought to awareness, for more testing and help for those who have it, and those who may get it or inherit it,” read one Facebook post.
“The scleroderma community’s participation in the Post for a Purpose initiative demonstrates an ongoing commitment to educate people about this disabling disease,” said Christina Relacion, communications manager for the Scleroderma Foundation’s national office. “We are honored and thankful that this community is devoted to fight scleroderma on a daily basis by sharing their personal stories with others.”
Scleroderma is a chronic, often progressive, autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks one’s body. It can cause a thickening and tightening of the skin. In some cases, it causes serious damage to internal organs including the lungs, heart, kidneys, esophagus and gastrointestinal tract. As scarring, or sclerosis, of these organs and organ systems progresses, they work less effectively, which can lead to organ failure and death.
Some medications and treatments can help with certain symptoms, but there is no cure for scleroderma. The disease affects about 300,000 people across the U.S.
Individuals who cannot continue working due to repeated manifestations of scleroderma, such as the inability to concentrate, severe fatigue or the inability to walk effectively, may be eligible for SSDI. This federal insurance program, paid for through workers’ payroll taxes, provides disabled workers with income until their condition improves. The average SSDI benefit for a disabled worker with no dependents is $1,148 per month. To read Allsup’s overview of the SSDI program, click here.
For more information on SSDI eligibility requirements, call (888) 841-2126 or visit Expert.Allsup.com.
ABOUT THE SCLERODERMA FOUNDATION
The Scleroderma Foundation is the national organization for people with scleroderma, their families and friends. It was formed Jan. 1, 1998, by a merger between the United Scleroderma Foundation and the Scleroderma Federation.
The Scleroderma Foundation is headquartered in the metro Boston area in Danvers, Mass. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the interests of people living with scleroderma. The Foundation has a network of 24 chapters and 150 support groups committed to carrying out the three-fold mission of support, education and research. The Scleroderma Foundation is the largest nonprofit funder of peer-reviewed medical research, making available at least $1 million per year in new research grants to find the cause, better treatments and a cure for scleroderma.
For more information about the Scleroderma Foundation, visit http://www.scleroderma.org or call (800) 722-HOPE (4673). You also can find the Foundation on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/sclerodermaus) and Twitter (@scleroderma).
ABOUT ALLSUP
Allsup is a nationwide provider of Social Security disability, veterans disability appeal, Medicare and Medicare Secondary Payer compliance services for individuals, employers and insurance carriers. Allsup professionals deliver specialized services supporting people with disabilities and seniors so they may lead lives that are as financially secure and as healthy as possible. Founded in 1984, the company is based in Belleville, Ill., near St. Louis. For more information, go to http://www.Allsup.com or visit Allsup on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Allsupinc.
Tai Venuti, Allsup, http://expert.allsup.com, +1 (800) 854-1418 Ext: 68573, [email protected]
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