Biology student helps sister battle lupus

By Teri Olsen
Collegian Staff
October 4, 2006

Peter Morawski, a junior biology major at La Salle, grew up with three mothers.

“Well, one great mom and two amazing sisters much older than I,” Peter said. Anita, now the age of 30, is one of Peter’s half sisters and is his role model. When Peter was in third grade, he had to write a report on the person whom he admires most. He chose Anita without hesitation. Today, at the age of 19, Anita still remains one of the most important people in his life, and he continues to fight for her and her battle with lupus.

“Anita was there supporting me at every milestone. She was my confirmation mother and has always been a guiding light in my spiritual quest,” Peter said.

He looked to Anita to read him bedtime stories and cuddle with, to teach him English and math as a toddler, and to make him after-school snacks and help him with his homework.

Systematic Lupus Erythematosus, also known as SLE, is a chronic autoimmune disease with no known cure. Since she was diagnosed 13 years ago, Anita has been in and out of the hospital, suffering through problems with her eyesight, lungs and kidneys, as well as with her digestive and reproductive systems. She developed degenerative Osteoporosis and kidney water retention from her medication.

The symptoms are numerous and varied, making the disease very hard to diagnose. Most people suffering from lupus experience achy and swollen joints, frequent fevers over 100 degrees, extreme exhaustion and skin rashes. Inflammation of the lungs, heart and the tissue surrounding the heart can occur as well.

SLE is not new to the Morawski family. Anita and Sofia, Peter’s other half-sister, lost their mother to SLE 22 years ago. Eleven years later, after their father remarried, Anita was diagnosed with the same disease that killed her mother.

Peter describes Anita as having a powerfully innate desire to serve others and to express her love. She has worked in hospices, done volunteer work and taken on low-income community service jobs to help people in need. Anita graduated first in her class, both in high school and college. Currently, she directs a youth house, offering guidance and direction to troubled and underprivileged children.

“She cares for people in a way I have never seen. Her compassion is daunting and her personality is amazingly powerful and resilient, especially coming from her five foot, two inch, 100 pound frame,” he said. “Anita gives of herself so freely. And when she was diagnosed with lupus, she only strengthened in this.”

Anita has been living with the disease for some time and now her health is failing. The most troubling moments in Peter’s life are those spent watching his sister suffering in the hospital.

“Lupus is stealing her life, and in a selfish way, it’s stealing a part of mine, of all the people Anita has touched,”he said.

Peter plans on getting his doctoral degree in biochemistry or molecular biology so that he can conduct autoimmune research, specifically on SLE. He hopes to research new treatments and medications. Until he has his degree, Peter plans on doing all that he can to raise awareness of lupus and raise money for research.

He has been involved in lupus fundraisers and walks all his life. Now, Peter has decided to take the next step and become more personally and actively involved. He has founded his own chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America, called Unite and Fight. This chapter is raising money to benefit over one million people suffering from SLE in the United States. Through its actions, Unite and Fight hopes to increase awareness of systematic lupus erythematosus.

“There are millions of families just like mine who have a loved one like Anita. My hope is to increase awareness to make the country and the world realize how significant this disease is,” Peter said. “We need to fight this as one group. We need to unite and fight systematic lupus.”

The first event Peter is planning for Unite and Fight is Layout for Lupus, an Ultimate Frisbee tournament. He hopes to hold the event at La Salle. All proceeds from Layout for Lupus will go to the Lupus Foundation of America. The foundation was founded in 1977 to help educate and support people suffering from lupus and to find a cure. The foundation supports education, research, awareness, patient services and advocacy.

Peter is very passionate about Unite and Fight and raising lupus awareness. Anita’s health is a very sensitive issue, but he is trying to stay positive.

The prognosis for people with lupus depends on the degree of inflammation and the systems affected. Over 90 percent of patients with lupus are alive two years after they have been diagnosed. As many as 75 percent of people live more than 20 years after being diagnosed.

“I don’t know what her medical future holds,” he said. “But Anita has lasted longer than over a million others have. All I can do is enjoy our time. And she, all she can do is serve and love.”

olsent1@lasalle.edu