Crowning Lupus Founder Biography
A native of Aiken, South Carolina, Jade Nealious is one woman on a mission! Graduating from the University of South Carolina Columbia with a bachelor’s degree in Electronic Journalism and a master’s degree in Management and Leadership from Southern Wesleyan University, she now hopes to begin her doctorate program in 2024 after receiving her acceptance in 2022.
At thirty-five years of age, Jade is now a nineteen-year survivor of lupus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis. Jade said that “life is about choices! While many have lupus, it affects every individual differently, even those with the same type. Jade has been hospitalized a number of times, battling drops in her blood platelet count. A low blood platelet count can lead to a number of issues including, but not limited to, internal bleeding, fatigue, or death. God enables every individual the ability to DECIDE what path he/she wants to take --- It’s up to us to take the positive course!”
Jade was honored as the December 2013 WJBF News Channel 6’s Giving Your Best Award Recipient for “giving your best to your fellow man through your compassion for others and your commitment to the community” as well as the October 2014 Quarterly Adjuvant for A. Bevy Inc. and chosen by Aiken Standard as Nonprofit of the Week in April of this year. In addition, Jade is a two-time Jim Casey Community Service Award nominee (2015 and 2018) and was chosen out of 400,000 employees to be honored by CEO David Abney. But it does not stop there! She is also responsible for starting the UPS initiative Brown Goes Purple in support of lupus awareness during May 2015. She was inducted into Thomas Media Group’s Class of 2015 Top 40 under 40 for the South Carolina Black Pages. She was selected as a 2017 recipient Women to Watch for WJBF News Channel 6. And these are only a few of her accolades.
Today, Jade continues embarking on the mission to spread Lupus awareness and give back to communities across South Carolina and the CSRA regions of Georgia. Despite starting her efforts in February 2013, Jade has created revolutionary footprints in lupus awareness, community impact, and service. From scholarships to food delivery, Crowning Lupus is committed to giving back.
The mission of Crowning Lupus is to ensure that men and women living with lupus avoid health disparities through education, finance, and advocacy across the state of South Carolina and the CSRA regions of Georgia. We provide access to resources outlets for medical, mental, academic, and physical issues, alongside our other community outreach efforts.
Jade gives all credit to God and his ability to surround her with so many supporting faces, especially her parents and older sister – Jimmy, Elaine, and Jessica Nealious.
Jade’s motto: Run Lupus… Don’t Let it Run You!