Purple Run: How one woman’s fight against Lupus is inspiring others
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 01 September) — Lupus is a disease most people here rarely talk about, let alone run for. Yet on August 17, some 1,274 runners in purple shirts filled the city streets, marking the third year of the Run for Lupus Warriors–a grassroots movement born from one woman’s illness that is now reshaping how communities in Region 12 understand invisible diseases.
“I want people to know more about lupus. Para hindi na tayo na di-discriminate, para hindi tayo nami-misjudge,” 41 year-old Clairegie Marie Llido, the organizer of the event and a lupus patient, told MindaNews.
(“I want people to know more about lupus, so that we are not discriminated against, so that we are not misjudged.”)
For Llido and others like her, the struggle is not only against the disease but also against a society that cannot see it.
In a separate interview, Katrina Andrea Perez, 39 years-old and who was diagnosed in 2023, said the hardest part of living with lupus is that most people around them don’t believe they are unwell.
“They tend to tag us as OA (overacting) and pabebe. No one believes we are in pain. Sometimes we are even questioned why we have PWD IDs when we don’t look like one,” she said, noting that they are sometimes denied PWD privileges because they don’t look sick.
Lupus, or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues, causing inflammation that can affect the skin, joints, kidneys, heart, and brain.
In the Philippines, lupus affects an estimated 30 to 50 individuals per 100,000 people, with a higher prevalence among females in their second and third decades of life.
Turning struggle into action
Diagnosed in 2017, Llido saw firsthand the urgent needs of lupus “warriors” after joining the national support group Hope for Lupus, where she learned many patients die because they cannot afford medicine.
With an extra supply from her own prescriptions, she began distributing medication to those who reached out but soon realized her help wasn’t enough.
“Dumating ako sa point na parang, I feel bad kasi hindi ko pala ma-provide silang lahat. Kasi non-stop yung messages. Gano’n na pala ka-sobrang kawawa yung mga lupus warriors na hindi nila afford yung kahit steroids lang,” she said.
(“I got to a point where I felt bad because I couldn’t help them all. The messages just wouldn’t stop. It showed me how truly difficult it is for some lupus warriors who can’t even afford a simple thing like steroids.”)
Recognizing the need for a sustainable solution, Llido proposed a charity run to raise funds for others suffering from the same disease so they wouldn’t have to “beg for help.”
With support from her family and local officials, the Run for Lupus Warriors launched in 2023 despite the organizers having no experience organizing such an event.
A platform for awareness, help, and inclusivity
“Kami lang ang fun run na kung saan lahat ng proceeds pupunta sa mga lupus warriors and PWDs,” Llido pointed out.
(“We are the only fun run where all proceeds go directly to lupus warriors and PWDs.”)
Three years since its inception, Llido said the Run for Lupus Warriors has raised more than Php 200,000. The money is currently being used to support lupus warriors and persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat, Polomolok, and General Santos.
She described how they work together with the Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) to distribute grants of ₱5,000 to ₱10,000 to PWDs and lupus patients, alongside crutches, canes, wheelchairs, and sacks of rice.
The group has also secured nonprofit status with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a step that allows it to operate officially and accept donations legally.
Besides monetary aid, Llido also emphasized that inclusivity is at the heart of the event. Organizers ensure that participants with lupus or disabilities can take part fully through programs like “Sponsor-a-PWD” or “Sponsor-a-Lupus Warrior.”
“Tinatawag natin yun na inclusivity, solidarity with lupus warriors and PWDs. Yung run na ‘to, para sa kanila, at the same time, magra-run sila for themselves. Walk or gapang. Yun yung ginawa natin,” she said.
(“We call it inclusivity—solidarity with lupus warriors and PWDs. This run is for them, and at the same time, they can run for themselves. Walk or crawl. That’s what we aim for.”)
Perez, who has taken part in the event for the past two years, said running with others made her feel more accepted and visible.
“For me, the run means a lot; it became a platform, an avenue for us to be seen and understood and for us to regain somehow our confidence that Lupus once stole,” she explained.
Llido said the event is entirely run by volunteers who “don’t earn a single centavo”, saying even organizers cover the costs of their own race kits.
Despite challenges this year, including fewer sponsorships, a lack of manpower, and competing events, Llido said the funds raised have doubled compared with last year.
Beyond lupus
The Purple Run’s impact stretches beyond participants living with lupus, drawing people who want to show solidarity and support other vulnerable communities, including PWDs.
While the event centers on running, for many, it has become just as much about compassion, connection, and community.
Lyka Abella, a local runner and health advocate, said the run gives people a tangible way to support others.
“This isn’t just about raising funds; it’s about raising awareness, empathy, and collective action,” Abella said, noting that such activities remind people they are stronger when they care beyond their own lives–running, walking, or standing for those who can’t always do so for themselves.
Abella said the experience also transformed how she views those living with lupus after witnessing so many runners unite for the cause.
She hopes events like the Run for Lupus Warriors can awaken compassion and start important conversations in the community.
“I may not have lupus myself, but being part of this movement is my way of saying, ‘You’re not alone. We see you. We’re with you,’” she told MindaNews.
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