We are so excited to introduce you to our newest parent ambassadors, Tamara and Bobby-Jo, from our McMaster and SickKids centres! Our parent ambassadors are often the first point of contact for newly diagnosed families and are there for anyone who might be struggling or need a hand finding resources. They [...]
Building Community and Mental Health Support for Students with Rheumatic Diseases: Ciara’s Story Living with a chronic condition like a rheumatic disease can be especially challenging for young people, not only physically but also mentally. It's no surprise that 40% of youth diagnosed with a rheumatic disease experience symptoms of anxiety, depression, or [...]
#WhyIRun – Audrey’s Story In this #WhyIRun, we hear from the Rose family, who share their daughter Audrey’s journey with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). Audrey and her family will be participating in our upcoming run/walk at Hamilton’s Road2Hope marathon on November 2, 2024, where they are not only the top fundraiser for [...]
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 can work [...]
Where Are They Now? Jake Shiell In this edition of “Where Are They Now”, we caught up with Jake Shiell and his mom Krista. You may remember Jake from his popular lemonade stand fundraiser and as the winner of our 2022 Youth Leader Award for the under-12 [...]
In my 7 years of living with Ankylosing Spondylitis since the age of 21, I’ve had to teach a lot of people quite a few things about my illness. It’s a relatively unheard-of form of arthritis in day-to-day life. Most people have heard of Rheumatoid Arthritis, but not usually [...]
#WhyIRun - Emily's Story Emily, diagnosed at age 3. Never complained. Emily was a happy-go-lucky kid and could always be found smiling and laughing. We felt lucky that she was so young when COVID came because we were able to spend time at home together, and because [...]
9 Tips for Homeschooling Your Child with JIA One of the many impacts of COVID was a surge in homeschooling, not just during the pandemic but well after. This back-to-school season, we’re pleased to share some tips from JIA parent, Kathleen Bailey, who has homeschooled her children for many years and has a [...]
#WhyIRun The Saskatchewan Pediatric Rheumatology Research IDEA Lab Did you know that the University of Saskatchewan has one of the longest, continuously operating pediatric rheumatology research programs in the world? Read more to learn why the IDEA lab is proud to partner with Cassie + Friends and support activities like our annual [...]
Where Are They Now? Ravia Frison For this edition of, “Where Are They Now?”, we caught up with Ravia Frison. You may remember Ravia from our What is JIA video, where she poignantly shares what it is like to live with an often invisible disease like JIA. We’re so honoured to [...]
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