Kyra Miller participated in the Landmark Education Self-Expression and Leadership Program with a desire to make a difference for those afflicted with Lupus, an autoimmune disease. Miller had been diagnosed with Lupus the previous year after the disease had her organs three different times.

Many people know little about the disease, which mostly affects younger women – for instance, many of those with Lupus are photosensitive, meaning the sun’s ultraviolet rays trigger the immune system to attack the body’s joints and organs. Miller wore a UV protective umbrella and clothing after the attacks, which were drab and gray. She realized from the looks she got that almost no one understood about the effects of Lupus.

Since then, as her project, she created in October her first SUNday stroll event to raise awareness about Lupus and other diseases and conditions which cause people to be sensitive to sunlight. She and her family created color UV-safe umbrellas for the event, and she is planning to develop an entire line of these umbrellas for those with sun-sensitive conditions. She has more events planned for the spring.