NBA star DeMar DeRozan brings fans to their feet when he sails through the air and slams the ball through the hoop. The roar of the crowd is deafening, but no one is cheering more loudly than his mother. Diane DeRozan has been her son’s biggest fan since he first stepped onto a basketball court as a grade-schooler.

DeMar has been there for his mother since she was diagnosed with lupus. “It was tough for my family when she was first diagnosed because we were facing a disease we knew little about,” DeMar says, looking back a dozen years. “Then it was all about helping her manage the ups and downs, and the pain.”

Throughout his seven seasons with the Toronto Raptors, DeMar, a two-time NBA All-Star and a member of the American basketball team that recently won gold at the Summer Olympics, has helped his mother as much as possible. He has ensured she has a knowledgeable, proactive doctor and the appropriate medication. Most importantly, he makes her feel supported and loved.

He recently took to twitter to promote an event which has been dubbed “Laughs for Lupus” and will be used to help support those are living with Lupus. “Laughs for Lupus” is set for May 9 in Toronto, Canada.