Persatuan SLE Malaysia (PSLEM) is registered with the Registrar of
Societies as a non-profit, charitable organisation set up to provide
social and psychological support for people suffering from Systemic
Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
Starting with a small group of 10 doctors and patients in 1994,
PSLEM today has more than 2,800 members all over Malaysia,
comprising SLE patients, their families and healthcare professionals.
PSLEM’s work is mainly funded by corporate donors and individual well-
wishers. PSLEM is recognised by the government as a charity body and
donations to the association are tax exempted.
Our Activities
We work in partnership with the corporate sector and the public to raise
funds for our various activities:
i) The Lupus Information & Counselling Centre in Petaling Jaya:
We operate a Helpline for SLE patients and members of the public
all over Malaysia.
ii) SLE Patient Support Groups: PSLEM targets to have at least one
patient support group in each state within the next 10 years. See list
of our current Support Groups below.
iii) SLE Para-Counsellors Training: Training patients who are coping
well in their condition, to provide free counselling services at major
hospitals where SLE patients receive treatment and also at our
Counselling Centre in Petaling Jaya.
iv) Patient Education Programmes: To provide patients and their family
members with better coping skills via ‘Share & Care” group therapy
sessions, talks, public forums and family camps.
v) Public Awareness Programmes: With greater public awareness, SLE
sufferers will be more likely to get an earlier diagnosis, thereby improving
their chances of survival. To disseminate SLE information flyers and
posters at strategic places.
vi) SLE Fund: We provide financial assistance for needy patients who have
to undergo joint replacement and cataract operations due to the side effects
of their corticosteroid treatment. The SLE Fund subsidises up to 90% of the
cost of the patient’s prosthesis or lens implant.
Currently we have established 6 chapters, namely:
Persatuan SLE Malaysia - Penang Chapter (established in 2008)
Persatuan SLE Malaysia - Kuching Chapter (established in 2009)
Persatuan SLE Malaysia - Johor Chapter (established in 2010)
Persatuan SLE Malaysia - Sabah Chapter (established in 2013)
Persatuan SLE Malaysia - Terengganu Chapter (established in 2013)
Persatuan SLE Malaysia - Kedah Chapter (established in 2014)
As the only organisation in Malaysia set up to help people suffering from SLE, PSLEM has to work towards extending its reach to every State to benefit all SLE sufferers in the country. Besides its Secretariat in Petaling Jaya, PSLEM is targeting the setting up of five Regional Counselling Centres as follows:
- In Georgetown, Penang to cover the northern region
- In Johor Bahru, Johor to cover the southern region
- In Kuantan, Pahang to cover the East Coast States of Peninsula Malaysia
- In Kota Kinabalu to cover the State of Sabah
- In Kuching to cover the State of Sarawak
