National Psoriasis Foundation Walk Cheering Station!

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About National Psoriasis Foundation

Location:

6600 SW 92nd Ave Suite 300, Portland, OR 97223, US

Mission Statement

The mission of the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) is to drive efforts to cure psoriatic disease and improve the lives of those affected. The history of NPF began with Beverly Foster of Portland, Oregon, the year she turned 30. Because her psoriasis was severe, Beverly told her husband, Larry, that the one thing she wanted for her 30th was to talk to other people with psoriasis. Larry placed an ad in the local paper on Aug. 29, 1966 (Beverly’s birthday), looking for just those people. Today, more than 50 years later, NPF is the leading national nonprofit organization supporting research on psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and advocating for the needs of the psoriatic disease community. NPF is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, with community divisions and volunteers across the U.S. We invite you to get involved, support research and make your own place in our history.

Description

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated disease* (a disease with an unclear cause that is characterized by inflammation caused by dysfunction of the immune system) that causes inflammation in the body. There may be visible signs of the inflammation such as raised plaques (plaques may look different for different skin types) and scales on the skin.

This occurs because the overactive immune system speeds up skin cell growth. Normal skin cells completely grow and shed (fall off) in a month. With psoriasis, skin cells do this in only three or four days. Instead of shedding, the skin cells pile up on the surface of the skin. Some people report that psoriasis plaques itch, burn and sting. Plaques and scales may appear on any part of the body, although they are commonly found on the elbows, knees, and scalp.