REBECCA

I was diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis in the September of 2005. I have gone into remission twice in the past 7 years, and am currently in remission right now. Arthritis has caused me physical challenges but also mental ones.

Having a chronic disease at such a young age caused me to become mature much faster than kids my own age. I had to mentally deal with being in pain a lot of the time, and had to become responsible and cooperative in taking my medication and the many doctor and hospital visits. I had to be strong because of these events and am overall a stronger person in many ways. I remained positive throughout many ordeals and I know that this continued on past when I needed it in regards to arthritis. This is a challenge that I continually deal with, as it could come back anytime, but I don’t let it affect me anymore. I have learned about myself and this found knowledge shaped the strong and driven person that I am today.