Washington (WFN) -- The Wolfman is portrayed as an evil creature in Hugh Jackman's new film, "Van Helsing," but the runner-up on "America's Next Top Model" sees him more sympathetically.

For years, model Mercedes Scelba-Shorte has been suffering from a debilitating disease called Lupus and, as such, has spent many hours researching her illness.

One of Mercedes findings: The word, "lupus," is latin for "wolf" and she says that's because ancient cultures thought the disease's skin patterns made its victims look like wolves.

Mercedes doesn't know if that's how the werewolf legend started but figures imagining the Wolfman as a lupus sufferer can shed new light on the character.

"Van Helsing" opens today (May 7) but Mercedes is more interested in Monday (May 10), which is the first ever World Lupus Day.

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