Living with JIA – Lisa’s Journey It started out as sharp pain in my hips which I believed to be a pulled muscle; however, it soon progressed into a severe pain and stiffness. Days passed as I used crutches to simply walk around, and I remember that any [...]
#WhyIRun: Chase's Story Meet Chase, a brave and resilient 4-year-old from London, ON, who is inspiring his family, friends, and community to step up for kids affected by Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM)—a rare autoimmune disease that causes muscle weakness and skin rashes. This year, Chase’s family is joining Team Cassie + Friends to [...]
#WhyIRun: Stephanie + Tommy's Story Meet Stephanie, who is running with Team Cassie + Friends to raise awareness for Juvenile Arthritis for her son, Tommy! Diagnosed with oligoarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) just after his second birthday, Tommy’s journey has been full of ups and downs. Read more about their story below, and [...]
#WhyIRun: Meet Team Cassie + Friends Montréal! La version française suit la version anglaise. We’re so excited that on May 25, 2025, Montréal will host its FIRST EVER Team Cassie + Friends walk/run! Read more about the amazing families that will be joining us below—and then join kids like Valerina, Beatrice, and Brooklyn [...]
#WhyIRun: Marley's Story Meet Marley: A Little Fighter Powering Big Change Meet Marley, a brave three-year-old at the heart of Team Cassie + Friends’ Virtual Run crew, #MarleysJointForces. This June, her family and friends are lacing up to raise awareness and funds for kids like Marley living with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). Inspired [...]
#WhyIRun: Blake's Story Meet Blake: One of Our Youngest Runners and a Big Reason We Run! Meet Blake, a resilient little one and one of our youngest runners on Team Cassie + Friends Halifax! Diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) at just 16 months old, Blake’s journey has been filled with challenges, strength, [...]
#KidsCantWait: Emily's Journey Emily was just 16 months old when she started showing symptoms. The first sign we noticed was her discomfort while getting dressed in the morning—she seemed to be in pain. Her amazing daycare workers also noticed changes, mentioning that she was less active than before. She [...]
#KidsCantWait: Valerina's Journey Valerina was born a healthy baby, bringing joy and happiness to our family. However, around 15 months old, we noticed that her pinky was swollen. Concerned, we took her to many doctor appointments, hoping to find an answer. Despite their efforts, we were left without a diagnosis. [...]
#KidsCantWait: Ziyaad's Journey The First Signs Ziyaad was born on January 2, 2017, and he is now 8 years old. He has 2 older siblings, a sister, Nureen age 18, and a brother Fayaaz, age 16. He also has a cat, named Leo. Ziyaad enjoys being outdoors, swimming, [...]
#KidsCantWait: Kylie's Journey Kylie’s Journey to Diagnosis Kylie took a bit of a tumble at a gymnastics birthday party and hurt her ankle when she was five. At the time it didn't appear to be very serious and we continued on with the party. The next day her ankle [...]
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