Help millions of people live with less pain and fund groundbreaking research to discover a cure for this devastating disease.
The 2021 Virtual National Juvenile Arthritis Conference Was a Wonderful Success
A big THANK YOU to all JA families, planning committee members and sponsors for making the 2021 Virtual National Juvenile Arthritis Conference a huge success! This year, we welcomed more than 850 total attendees — including 373 first-time participants — from 42 states and three different countries. The JA Conference offered 71 virtual sessions and gave attendees the opportunity to connect and network with other moms, dads, families, siblings, caregivers and, of course, young adults, teens and kids with JA who share similar challenges and triumphs. Even in these trying times, we showed the world that together we are stronger than ...more
Close to the Finish Line: Funding our JA Kids' Futures
By Stephanie Livingston, Arthritis Foundation Advocacy Manager They say first impressions last a lifetime. The same applies to a child’s first interactions with a pediatric rheumatologist. After finding a diagnosis, it’s vital to work quickly as a team to find a treatment plan that slows disease activity as much as possible during developing years. I was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis (JA) when I was 12 years old, but there were hints of arthritis activity far earlier that were misunderstood as sports injuries. Misdiagnosis is common with JA, since pain and swelling can be misattributed to growing pains, injuries and other kid-related activities. ...more
Arthritis Foundation Champion Scholarships for Deserving Students
At the Arthritis Foundation, we are proud to support the rising generation as it joins the movement to help conquer arthritis for good. Every year, we award $5,000 college scholarships to deserving students who have arthritis or a related rheumatic disease. Recently, 14 additional scholarships were funded for 2021-22 by the Ruth Lape Scholarship of the Lichliter Charitable Trust, meaning that even more applicants will now receive awards. The 2021-22 Arthritis Champions Scholarship program is funded by the Walter J. and Kathryn M. Winterhoff Endowed Scholarship Fund, Dr. Smriti Bardhan College Scholarship Fund, Alpha Omicron Pi and the Ruth Lape Scholarship ...more
This SJIA Family Thrives in a New Setting
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common type of arthritis in children and teens. Between 10% to 20% of children with JIA have a rare and serious subtype called systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA). Symptoms of this rare disease can include overactivation of a type of immune cells called macrophages (MAS), unremitting fever, liver and spleen enlargement, abnormal bleeding, central nervous system dysfunction and other potential complications. Read about one family’s plight. Today, 9-year-old Cohen is having the time of his life. He is “president” of the barn on the ranch where his family now lives in New Mexico. He takes ...more
Young Adult Spotlight: Shane Cox – A Voice for the Invisible
A junior at Chico State University in California, Shane Cox might appear like just your average 20-year-old student. But when you take a closer look, you’ll notice something different about him. It’s not the handicapped plate on his pickup truck or the Humira injections he gives himself that really sets Shane apart from his peers. Instead, it’s his dedication to giving other kids with JA hope for their future that really makes him special. It’s his pay-it-forward attitude that made it easy to convince him to be the 2021 National JA Conference chair. And to make it even better, he’s ...more
The Arthritis Champions Scholarship is OPEN!
The Arthritis Foundation is proud to announce that the 2021-2022 Arthritis Champions Scholarship application is open! The Arthritis Champions Scholarship is generously funded by Dr. & Mrs. Walter J. Winterhoff, Dr. Smriti Bardhan and Alpha Omicron Pi. The Arthritis Champions Scholarship of $5,000 per academic year is awarded annually to deserving students with arthritis or a related rheumatic disease who: Impact the arthritis community, serving as positive role models and leaders Live their best life while empowering others to do the same Since 2010 the Arthritis Champions Scholarship has supported 51 college students, awarding nearly $570,000 altogether in scholarship awards. Each eligible ...more
State Victories for Advocacy 2020
2020 has been a year that has brought a number of unforeseen challenges. Throughout these difficult times, Advocates continually raised their voices in support of legislation that makes a difference for people with arthritis. COVID-19 has shined a light on issues within our healthcare system that disrupt care. On a state level, the pandemic required many state legislative sessions to end early, meet very rarely, or adapt to virtual sessions. For the states that continued to meet this year, many legislative bodies condensed their work to COVID-19 legislation and budget issues. Accordingly, the Arthritis Foundation, our coalition partners, and our legislative ...more
Chef Michael Symon’s Recipe for Easing Arthritis Pain
On cooking shows like The Chew and Burgers, Brew and Que, the charismatic Chef Michael Symon, with his signature bald head and contagious smile, whips up mouth-watering dishes with what seems like boundless energy and enthusiasm. What’s not so apparent are his painful hands, aching knees and ankles, and lurking fatigue. Symon, 51, was diagnosed in his 20s with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and discoid lupus, a form of lupus that primarily affects the skin, but also the joints. “Literally one morning I woke up with these two enormous butterfly splotches under my eyes,” Symon recalls. At first, he and his dermatologist focused ...more