(Great Neck, NY) – On Thursday evening, September 26th, the Sjögren's Syndrome Foundation (SSF)
will celebrate its 30th Anniversary by hosting a dinner honoring their founder, Elaine Harris, at Café
Rustica in Great Neck, NY.
As the SSF celebrates 30 years of achievements and growth, it is honored to recognize Elaine, the pioneer
who had both the vision and willingness to launch the SSF in 1983 from her home in Great Neck.
Sjögren’s is a systemic disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own moisture
producing glands, affecting an estimated 4 million Americans. The hallmark symptoms are dry eyes and
dry mouth, but fatigue, muscle and joint pain are also prominent symptoms. Serious manifestations can
occur, such as life-threatening lung involvement, central nervous system complications and disorders of
cognitive functioning. Nine out of ten patients are women with an average age of onset in the late 40’s.
However, Sjögren’s can occur in all age groups, even in children.
In 1983, Elaine was a newly diagnosed patient frustrated about the lack of information available on
Sjögren’s and wanted to take control of her health. In the first years of the SSF’s existence, Elaine used
handwritten notes and a typewriter to communicate with fellow patients, physicians and companies around
the world to encourage them to develop products for suffers.
Today, the SSF remains the only national non-profit organization dedicated to conquering Sjögren’s. In
addition to providing patients with practical information and coping strategies, the SSF is now the
clearinghouse for medical information and recognized as a national advocate, shaping the industry in
terms of research, education, patient care, advocacy and new therapies,.
“All patients should be thankful for Elaine’s dedication to increasing Sjögren’s education and awareness,
which set the stage for the SSF to become the internationally recognized organization that it is today,” said Steven Taylor, SSF CEO.
If you would like to learn more about the dinner honoring Elaine Harris and the SSF’s 30th Anniversary or Sjögren’s, please contact Elizabeth Trocchio at (301) 530-4420 x216 or etrocchio@sjogrens.org.
