Our story
The Hibbs Lupus Trust began with one family’s experience of lupus — and a determination to make things better for the people who came after them.
Where it began
In 2008, at the age of 25, Viki Hibbs was diagnosed with lupus.
For Viki and our family, the diagnosis brought not only the challenges of the condition itself, but also the difficulty of finding clear information, practical support and people who understood what living with lupus could be like.
That experience became the starting point for The Hibbs Lupus Trust.
The Hibbs Lupus Trust
In October 2011, The Hibbs Lupus Trust was founded.
From the beginning, the aim was simple: to use what the family had learned through their own experience to make it easier for others to find information, support and people who understood.
One of our earliest steps was establishing Staffordshire’s first lupus patient support group, bringing people together to share experiences and meet others who understood some of the realities of living with the condition.
From there, the Trust continued to grow.
Turning support into something practical
Over the years, our work has developed in different ways, but it has always remained focused on making a practical difference.
We have helped people find reliable and accessible information about lupus, created opportunities for people affected by the condition to connect, and worked to increase awareness and understanding.
Through fundraising, we have also supported NHS hospitals and Foundation Trusts with equipment, facilities and services that benefit people receiving care for lupus.
Our online community has enabled that work to reach far beyond Staffordshire, connecting us with people affected by lupus across the UK.
More than a decade later
A great deal has changed since 2011.
The way people find information has changed. Our community has grown. Our website, resources and fundraising have evolved.
But the reason The Hibbs Lupus Trust exists has not.
The personal experience that led our family to establish the charity continues to shape the way we work today: listening to people affected by lupus, using our resources carefully and concentrating on the things that can make a genuine difference.
What started with one family’s experience of lupus has become something shared by thousands of people.
And that story is still being written.
Our story continues
Today, we remain focused on helping people affected by lupus find clear information, community, awareness and practical support.