Community supports long-time local nurse battling lupus

QUINCY (WGEM) - More than 200 people could be seen in downtown Quincy rallying in support of long time local nurse Erica Schroeder.

Schroeder, a nurse of 22 years, recently was forced out of work due to lupus disease. Schroeder first found out about it 16 years ago, however in 2019 it worsened.

“She can be mid-sentence and just completely forget what she’s saying,” Schroeder’s friend Jenny Terstriep said.

Lupus is an inflammatory disease when the immune system attacks its own tissue. In severe cases like Schroeder’s, it can effect the heart.

Schroeder currently gets infusions every four weeks and just recently got out of the hospital from another treatment. She’s also undergone chemotherapy.

“Since she found out that she has central nervous system lupus, it causes her to have memory loss and it’s just impaired her from being able to work, so it’s just put a huge strain on the family not being able to have the additional income,” Terstriep said.

The Schroeder Family benefit included live music, a bouncy house and dunk tank along with all the food you could handle. Terstriep hopes to raise at least a few thousand dollars from the benefit. All proceeds are going directly towards medical costs.

According to the CDC, lupus effects more than 200,000 Americans every year and can’t be cured.

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