#KidsCantWait: Olivia's Journey Our daughter’s journey with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) has been a difficult process but one that has taught us many things, including resilience and patience. Olivia was diagnosed at 15 months of age but started showing symptoms around 10 months. She first presented with symptoms of neck [...]
#KidsCantWait: Rylee's Journey The First Signs November 30th, 2016, Rylee Lynn Rideout arrived making us parents for the first time and becoming the first grandchild and niece in our families. The years that followed were nothing short of amazing, Rylee developed a love for life and a sparkle that we [...]
#KidsCantWait: Simon's Journey The Early Signs Simon’s journey began when he was around 10; he has always been an active, strong-willed child. He never complained when falling or having some scratches for his rough, playful adventures, but he wasn’t happy with our long walks. As a family, [...]
#KidsCantWait: Rosalie's Journey As a parent/caregiver, you envision your children growing up happy and healthy, enjoying life to the fullest. However, life tends to chuckle at our best laid plans, and that was the case with our middle daughter, Rosalie, who was diagnosed with Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic [...]
#KidsCantWait: Harley's Journey Harley is our tiny warrior. Just after turning 2, in August 2022, Harley started having difficulty walking one day out of nowhere. It pained her to tears and she had to hold onto someone to walk or be carried. She was on Amoxicillin for an ear infection, [...]
Where Are They Now: Zahra's Story In this special Rare Disease Month edition of “Where Are They Now”, we caught up with Zahra Alidina. In 2023, Zahra shared what life was like living with an autoinflammatory disease that is so rare it doesn’t even have a name. We’re so honoured to share this [...]
Blending Lived Experience with Research: Brittany's Story Hi! I’m Brittany – and I’m here to share with you a bit about my experience as someone who works in health research and lives with Ankylosing Spondylitis! I currently work as a Senior Research Associate at the University of [...]
From Patient to Pediatric Rheumatologist: Dr. Molly Dushnicky Dr. Molly Dushnicky’s story sounds like a lot of her patients’: When she was just 18 months old, she stopped walking, her knees wouldn’t bend easily, and she wasn’t her usual happy self. That’s when she was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis [...]
A recent report by Mental Health Research Canada underscores the pressing need for improved access to mental health services for youth. Vulnerable groups, including those already managing chronic conditions, face particularly steep challenges. Among these, youth with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) and other rheumatic diseases experience disproportionately high rates of anxiety, depression, and [...]
Raising Awareness, Sharing Hope: One Family’s Journey with SJIA 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 [...]
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