Advocacy

Marissa is the Family Engagement Coordinator at Cassie + Friends Society and a parent to a child living with juvenile arthritis. This letter reflects her personal experience and the journey that led her to support other families navigating childhood-onset rheumatic disease.

We’re so excited to introduce Tamara Schnarr, one of our new parent ambassadors for the Kitchener-Waterloo region! Tamara, a Realtor with a background in marketing, graphic design, and event management, is passionate about giving back to her community and is looking forward to supporting Cassie + Friends’ mission – a…

To have a chronic illness is to be fighting every day for the next. My name is Paige Simpson. I am 17 years old, I was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, otherwise known as JIA. I have been treated for JIA for 15 years but have been battling this condition…

To have a chronic illness is to be fighting every day for the next. My name is Paige Simpson. I am 17 years old, I was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, otherwise known as JIA. I have been treated for JIA for 15 years but have been battling this condition…

At Cassie + Friends, we believe that every child and family should have access to timely and optimal rheumatic disease care. That’s why we launched the C+F Northern BC Project, to better understand the barriers to diagnosis, care, and patient support for families living in remote/rural communities and explore how we…

Parenting a teen can be tricky. Parenting a teen with a painful rheumatic disease like Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis can be heartbreaking. But it can also be incredibly inspiring, as you’ll learn from Roam’s mom, Jana. She was reminded of her son’s strength and resilience during our Team Cassie + Friends…

Hello, my name is Queena, and I was diagnosed with Lupus and Juvenile Arthritis in 2021. During this time, it was hard to ask for help. For the most part my “illness” – or whatever was causing my swollen joints and excruciating pain – was invisible. It wasn’t until later…

n April 11, 2024, after a rigorous selection process, Cassie + Friends and Brain Canada have selected two life-transforming and innovative research projects to receive a combined total of $480,00 in funding dedicated to transforming the lives and mental wellness of children and teens impacted by juvenile arthritis and other…

Did you know that March is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month in Canada? Here at Cassie + Friends, we have been raising awareness and providing support to the JA community since 2007! We are the only charity in Canada exclusively dedicated to the pediatric rheumatic disease community and our dedication shows!…

Throughout my life I have been granted many titles; mom, wife, daughter, registered nurse, and writer are just a few. These are the titles that are associated with my name. I could be described as outgoing, humorous, modest, and perhaps kind too. These would be some characteristics that people from…

National Pediatric Rheumatology Mental Health Workgroup Cassie + Friends has led the formation of a new workgroup on Pediatric Rheumatology Mental Health to improve mental health care and outcomes for children with rheumatologic diseases. The goal of this Mental Health Workgroup is to develop strategies to improve research, care, and…

“As a young adult with JIA I have experienced firsthand just how much goes on at this age. School, work, relationships, newfound independence, transition… I wanted to create resources with short pieces of patient-driven advice to help others like me navigate the constant changes of life with rheumatic disease.” Who…