We are very excited to let you know about Saskatchewan’s very first juvenile arthritis event in support of Cassie + Friends is happening Saturday, June 18th, in Forget, SK, The Juvenile Arthritis Party!

Hosted by Juvenile Arthritis Parent and event planning extraordinaire, Renee P., we are thrilled to be raising awareness for kids and families impacted by JA and other rheumatic diseases attending the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic. With the event only one week away, Renee has planned an incredible lineup of events including dinner + drinks, polka, live music, a silent auction AND Juvenile Arthritis merch, with proceeds going towards Cassie + Friends’ Saskatchewan Centre!

We caught up with Renee below to learn what inspired her to get involved with C+F and to plan such a fun, and unique event.

How did Juvenile Arthritis become a part of your life?

Our daughter woke up with a bloodshot eye in the spring of 2021. The optometrist said inflammation was the culprit and referred her to an ophthalmologist. A few days later she was diagnosed with iritis, put on steroid and dilating drops and was referred to a pediatric rheumatologist. Within three weeks we met the rheumatology team at the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon, SK. After a brief interview and check-up, we had a diagnosis – Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. One year later we are still adapting to our new normal.

What are the top 3 lessons you’ve learned as a parent of a child with JA?

1. Children are amazingly resilient and quickly adapt to their new JA world of appointments, tests, medication, treatment etc. I wish I could bottle my daughter’s ability to cope in the face of adversity.
2. Most people have never heard of Juvenile Arthritis. You will field questions about symptoms, medications, your child’s abilities/limitations and so on. Knowledge is power. Learn as much as you can and educate your peers when they seek clarity.
3. There is no such thing as arriving at the hospital too early to find and pay for parking. Appointment days can be stressful. Give yourself time to get checked in and take a few deep breaths before your child’s name is called.

Tell us about your event! When/What is it and how did you get the idea? 

The Juvenile Arthritis Party will be the event of the summer! Join us on June 18, at 6 p.m. in Forget, SK. Plan for a delicious supper, great music, merch, draws and a silent auction. I love live music and The Happy Nun Café.  My hope was to plan a fun night that would raise awareness and money for a great cause.

What inspired you to get involved with C+F?

I LOVE officially licensed merchandise. My wardrobe consists of jerseys and concert t-shirts. After my daughter was diagnosed with JA, I thought it would be a good opportunity to get a new shirt and donate some money to kids with rheumatic disease in the process. I searched the Internet many nights looking for arthritis-themed merchandise that donated all profits to charity. I found a couple of sites from other countries, but the selection was limited and when I found something I liked, it was out of stock. Initially, I was going to make shirts for myself and my mom, but I thought about the parents like me looking to contribute to C + F and start a dialogue about what their child is going through as well as for the kids going through this. I am an introverted person but when C + F put out a call to action this fall looking for fundraising ideas, I cold-called thinking ‘the worst they can say is no’. Thankfully that wasn’t the case and I began brainstorming slogans and design ideas for hats, stickers and clothing with them.

My daughter is strong-willed and does not take no for an answer. While parenting a child like that is challenging, I know she will triumph over whatever life throws her way. While watching her goofing off one day I thought ‘Juvenile Arthritis messed with the wrong kid’ and knew I’d found the perfect slogan for the official JA merch. Stay tuned for more ideas!

Juvenile Arthritis Merch items created by Renee for her Juvenile Arthritis Party on Saturday, June 18th, 2022, in Forget, SK.

Interested in learning more about Renee’s Juvenile Arthritis Party,  attending the event on Saturday, June 18th in South East Saskatchewan or inquiring about JA merch? To learn more email info@cassieandfriends.ca or make a donation towards Cassie + Friends Saskatchewan here!