This is Clark - a brave hockey lover from Sarnia, diagnosed with Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Here are a few words from his parents about his journey today: Throughout his battle, Clark has been on a rollercoaster ride with highs and lows. He has experienced different stages of medications that have provided various results [...]
This is Charlotte - a sweet, strong, yoga-loving six year old from Woodstock, ON. Charlotte was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, Enthesitis-related Arthritis, and Psoriatic Arthritis Flares, and is monitored for uveitis. She doesn’t respond to typical medications. She requires daily physiotherapy and the support of orthotics, ankle braces, and medications. Charlotte's Story: “Charlotte was [...]
Author: Zoya Jiwa, YLC Program Designer and founder of As We Are Style - a blog about facing health challenges with courage and style. Last weekend, Cassie + Friends’ Youth Leadership Committee got together for our first team retreat on a surprisingly sunny afternoon (thank you, Vancouver!) with a lot of excitement and a BIG [...]
Last month, Cassie and Friends' Juvenile Arthritis at School Puppet Show hit the road to bring juvenile arthritis education to the Okanagan! The special puppet show, which was offered free-of-charge to schools by Cassie and Friends with support from a $10,000 grant from the Telus Friendly Futures Foundation, tells the story of Cassie - a [...]
My daughter Elena was diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis at age 2. Arthritis? That was an elderly person’s disease, I thought. I had no idea the depth of the disease or what would lie ahead for us. First, she started with redness and swelling in her knees. I took her into the doctor and they [...]
For those of us who live each day affected by juvenile arthritis or another rheumatic disease, it can often feel like there is no one who can understand what we are going through. Although this can feel isolating, when we share our juvenile arthritis and other rheumatic disease stories with one another they show [...]
As stressful and painful as experiencing a flare can already be at home, the idea of travelling with a flare may sometimes seem downright impossible. With some help however, you and your child can still enjoy taking a trip together. These are Cassie and Friends community member and mother Tanya Cassidy Irwin's three tips for [...]
Tanya Cassidy Irwin is a mother and Cassie and Friends community member from Langley, BC. This is her story of navigating pain, travel, medication and the unknown throughout her daughter Emily's journey with Oligoarticular JIA. In September 2015 there was the most subtle of hitches in our daughter Emily's step. Within three weeks she [...]
Thirteen year old Reese from Whitby, Ontario was diagnosed with JIA at age two, but she has never let this get in the way of her athletic goals. Read her story of perseverance and strength below, and join Reese and her entire Aurora Panthers Bantam AA hockey team on October 21st as they lead Team [...]
On May 25, 2018, Vancouver Skating Club (VSC) and Bantam Female North Shore Avalanche Hockey teamed up for a donate-to-skate event in support of Team Cassie and Friends. With over fifty people in attendance, the event, organized by long-time C+F community members Lorna and Naomi Bauer, raised over $600 for kids and families affected by [...]
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