Help Advance Lupus Research. From Home. Get a FREE 23andMe Kit, and Make $50 for 90 Minutes of Your Time.

I got the most exciting email EVER today from23andMe. It said, 

Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can affect many different parts of the body, such as the skin, joints and various organs. This happens when the body's immune system attacks its own tissue and organs, resulting in inflammation. It's a difficult disease to diagnose because symptoms vary significantly from person to person, and they often mimic other illnesses. Options for treatment are challenging given the lack of specific medicines to treat lupus and the side-effects of current medications.

Genetics has started to play an increasingly important role in medicine to understand disease characteristics and to develop new medicines. With your participation, we could provide insight as to why some people are more likely to get lupus, what triggers the onset of symptoms and why people respond differently to treatment options and drugs.

In other words, 23andMe has partnered with Pfizer -- as well as lupus researchers all over the world -- to do the most comprehensive study ever on lupus and genetics. This will provide new information about how your genes and environment could relate to lupus medicine, treatment and progression. 

My amazing, brilliant, hilarious and beautiful sister Kari suffers from lupus. And she has tried multiple times to get involved in research. But each time, she gave up -- study participation would have required countless hours of driving and disrupted her life as much as the disease itself! 

But this study is different. You can participate in this study from home. It takes less than 90 minutes. It's anonymous. All you have to do is spit in a tube (which they mail you, free of charge) and answer a few questions online. 

If you're eligible to participate, 23andMe will send you their DNA testing kit, which normally costs $99 for free. (Including shipping both ways.) AND they will pay you $50 for your time. AND you will be helping advance lupus research around the world.

This truly is one of the most exciting things ever. So if you have lupus, go ahead and click this button:

And get yourself signed up. Then share this post with all of your social networks so they sign up, too. More data = more information = better treatments sooner. 

Do you suffer from lupus? Do you have any advice or questions for other lupus patients? Share it in the comments section, below.