Help millions of people live with less pain and fund groundbreaking research to discover a cure for this devastating disease.
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
Arthritis Champions Scholarship
November is National Scholarship Month and the Arthritis Foundation is proud to offer the Arthritis Champions Scholarship to deserving students across the country who exemplify the Champion of Yes can-do spirit. The Arthritis Champions Scholarship program is generously funded by the Walter J. and Kathryn M. Winterhoff Endowed Scholarship Fund, Dr. Smriti Bardhan College Scholarship Fund and Alpha Omicron Pi (AOII). Walter J. and Kathryn M. Winterhoff Endowed Scholarship Fund Walter J. and Kathryn M. Winterhoff Endowed Scholarship Fund was created to provide an educational scholarship program for students with rheumatic diseases. Walter and Kay Winterhoff were Tucson residents and had passion for the work of the Arthritis Foundation. This ...more
#LiveYes & Fight for Better Access to Care
By Sarah Cloud It’s tough to fight an unseen battle from an uneven playing field. My son was diagnosed 11 years ago with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), my husband four years ago with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and myself a few years ago with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We are active every day in changing the platform for families like ours to gain knowledge on how to access and receive care in non-urban areas. In 2018, I decided to enroll in college. That was a massive step for this JIA mom and wife. I need to know how to fight for my family in ...more
Making Copays Count in Your State
Written by Ryan Precht In the arthritis community, we know that medications can be expensive. I have had arthritis since I was just 2 years old, and my treatments have run the gamut of costs. From $20,000 for an in-office infusion, to $4,000 for at home infusions, I’ve seen it all. As an adult, I treat my arthritis with home infusions, which cost around $5,000. Fortunately, I learned about a manufacturer copayment assistance program that covers most of that cost, leaving me with a manageable $50 payment each month. Without this program, affording my treatment would be impossible. Learning about this program ...more
Advocating During a Pandemic: Advocacy and Arthritis Go Hand in Hand
Patrice Johnson, Platinum Ambassador, CA California State Advocacy Committee Member | Live Yes! Online Community Forum Moderator The COVID-19 pandemic has radically affected all our lives. On the advocacy front, Arthritis Foundation Advocates and Ambassadors were concerned that we could not meet in person with our legislators to advocate for our priorities, especially as the pandemic made legislative changes even more necessary. Many of us came to the solution of meeting virtually.In April, my State Director, Steven Schultz, arranged a virtual meeting over Zoom for myself and other members of the California State Advocacy Committee with our Senator. Inspired by this meeting, ...more
LA Step Therapy Win
The Arthritis Foundation is pleased to announce that Gov. John Bel Edwards has signed HB 263 into law as Act 181. This law strengthens protections for Louisianans who are living with arthritis and cements Louisiana as having one of the strongest step therapy laws in the country. Act 181 was prioritized and passed during the COVID-19 pandemic and will improve the state’s existing step therapy law. Also known as “fail first,” step therapy is a process that forces patients to try and fail drugs insurance companies choose, before the patient gets to use the medication their doctor originally prescribed. This may ...more
We are Camp Stronger than JA, virtually!
This summer may look different, but we will still have opportunities to connect at JA Camp. Our new virtual JA Camp experience brings the magic of summer camp to all campers with JA, wherever you happen to be! While we cannot replace being in person together, we are excited to give campers an alternative option for connection and fun. The Arthritis Foundation is proud to offer free, at-home summer camp experiences across the United States for kids and teens with juvenile arthritis and related childhood rheumatic diseases. Juvenile arthritis (JA) camps are sponsored nationally by Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity and Foundation (AOII), ...more