Addie, Prince George, BC 14 years old, Psoriatic JIA I used to hike and play school sports like basketball and volleyball. Now, I’m not able to because my arthritis hurts too much in my elbow, ankles and knees. This last year I started on the volleyball team, but had to stop playing because of [...]
Meet Carrie Ritchie! Carrie is a member of the Cassie + Friends National Board of Directors and a parent of a child with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. We caught up with Carrie to learn about her family's journey with juvenile arthritis over the last 2 years. As a board member, Carrie looks forward to helping [...]
Scarlett’s journey started at about 16 months old. We noticed that in the mornings, she would just sit for up to two hours. Did not want to stand or walk - she almost seemed like she had to ‘warm up’ first. After about a week of no improvement, I took her to the doctor [...]
A year and a half ago our daughter was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. Her pain and psoriasis started about a year before that but between misdiagnosis and chalking things up to growing pains, we had no idea JIA was even a thing. It all came to a head after a hike when her knee [...]
I was diagnosed with JIA 25 years ago. Twenty-five years ago I was 13 years old and newly diagnosed with JIA or as it was known in my day, JRA (Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis). When I was a teen I found a lot of peer support through a Juvenile Arthritis Physiotherapy program, which is why [...]
It's #JuvenileArthritisAwarenessMonth, what can I do to help? To make it easy for you to get involved, we've put together 5 Simple Ways to Recognize Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month. From educating classmates to participating in fundraising events (such as our Cassie + Friends Run/Walk for Juvenile Arthritis- check out #1), we have the opportunity [...]
I don’t know if there can be a ‘typical’ journey for a young child who receives a Juvenile Arthritis diagnosis. But this is Linden’s story so far. When Linden got sick at 18 months old, we thought it was just a cold. But then came an unusual rash and his walking deteriorated. We visited [...]
Hello, my name is Grace Parker Palidwor. I was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis when I was 18 months old. In the first few years of my diagnosis, I don’t remember much except that I believed that every child was exactly like me. I believed that all my friends woke up with stiff joints [...]
We need 319 youth and parents to help us understand how we can best support kids and families to be RESILIENT in the face of Juvenile Arthritis. Take the survey to share your experiences now: JIA Survey If you’re like many youth and parents in our community, managing the pain [...]
Congratulations to Tyler Mah and Natasha Trehan, recipients of the 2021 Cassie + Friends National Youth Leader Awards! Read Tyler and Natasha's full bios and project descriptions below. Interested in being considered for an award in 2022? To learn more about the Youth Leader Awards [...]
If you or a loved one is dealing with Juvenile Arthritis or any rheumatic disease, you're not alone. Sign up now for access to vital resources, news, and events. Join a supportive community that gets what you're facing. Together, we can make a difference in your Juvenile Arthritis journey.
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