March is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month
25,000 Kids Are Counting on Us.
Across Canada, thousands of children are living with serious rheumatic diseases — often grouped under the term juvenile arthritis (JA). These conditions are complex, frequently misunderstood, and when diagnosis is delayed, the consequences can last a lifetime.
When kids are identified earlier, supported properly and have access to effective treatment, everything changes — for them and for their families. No more waiting months for answers. No more letting uncontrolled inflammation and overlooked mental health challenges quietly reshape childhood.
That’s why JA Month matters – and why we’re asking families, friends, educators, healthcare professionals, and supporters to step forward.
- Play our new Bingo game below and become a JA Month Champion!
- Take the PAVE survey to help kids and families today
- Commit to being there for kids every month by signing up as a monthly donor.
- Share your story, join an event – or host your own!
Because kids can’t wait — and change only happens when we move together.
Kids Can’t Wait – Here’s What We’re Doing About It
#KidsCantWait is more than awareness. It’s action — led by Cassie + Friends and powered by families and healthcare partners across Canada.
Your participation in JA Month helps:
- Ensure No Child Waits in Pain for a Diagnosis
- Support Families From Day One – and Throughout Their Journey
- Advance Access to Effective Treatments and Equitable Care
When you share, join, advocate, or give – you help families access the care and treatments their children need, without unnecessary delay.
Will you stand with the 25,000 kids who can’t wait?
JA Month Champion Bingo – Let’s Turn Luck Into Action
Bingo is a game of chance. A child’s diagnosis shouldn’t be.
Only 1 in 5 Canadians know juvenile arthritis exists — and awareness changes outcomes.
Goal: 500 JA Month Champions across Canada.
Download your card, complete five squares, and submit it by March 31 to be entered to win one of five prizes.
Complete the full card to be featured as a JA Month Champion and entered to win our grand prize.
Clinic Bonus: The hopsital clinic with the most completed cards will win a Cassie + Friends Cupcake Delivery for their healthcare team!
Deadline: March 31
FIVE prizes + 1 grand prize!
Every square helps more children get recognized and supported sooner.
Choose How You’ll Show Up this March
In just 15-20 minutes, you can help ensure the real impact of JIA on families is counted, understood, and reflected in future care decisions.
The PAVE research team, including young adults with JIA and parents of children with JIA, has developed a list of ways they have been impacted by JIA. Now, we want to hear from you to understand which of these impacts you have experienced, and which are most important to you.
A fun, family-friendly way to share facts and start conversations. Submit your card before March 31st for a chance to win one of 5 prizes – for yourself and for your healthcare team!
Download your card here!
Our 2026 event season is officially here! Whether you are joining us for a spring run or looking ahead to the fall, now is the time to lace up. When you register early, you don’t just get a head start on your training—you help us prove that #KidsCantWait for a cure.
Don’t wait to make a difference—register today and prove that #KidsCantWait for a cure. By signing up now, you could win:
- The “Momentum” Giveaway: Register for any 2026 run or walk by March 31st and you could be one of three winners of our signature C+F hat!
- The “Leader” Challenge: Be the first to raise $1,000 by April 15th (for any run, near or far!) to win a cozy C+F hoodie and a personal thank-you call from our Founder, David Porte.
Register for Team Cassie + Friends!
P.S. Staying focused on a Fall run? Don’t worry—we have more local leader highlights and exciting registration contests coming your way soon!
Hosted by Cassie and her friends at the Queen’s Rheumatic Disease Club, we are excited to be kicking off the Team C+F 2026 season with a historic milestone!
Whether you’re local or cheering from afar, their energy is proof that when we move together, we move closer to a cure.
Join Parent Ambassador Bobby-Jo in Bewdley, ON for an evening of music, trivia, silent auctions and a 50/50 raffle! Bobby-Jo is a shining example of our parent volunteers who lead with heart, ensuring that no family in their local community feels alone. Come out for a night of fun that directly fuels the connection and support services our families rely on every day.
This March, we are proving that you don’t need a starting line to make a massive impact. You can do #VirtuallyAnything to help raise awareness and fundraise! This is your opportunity to join the national movement for JA Awareness Month in the way that fits your life best.
Whether you’re navigating a flare, living far from a major city, or balancing a busy caregiving schedule, you can still be a leader in our mission to ensure #KidsCantWait. There is no “right” way to participate—only your way. You might:
- Move for Awareness: Walk your neighborhood, hit the gym, or bike your own route on your own time.
- Create for Connection: Host a local bake sale, a bottle drive, or a digital “Bingo” challenge to spark conversations.
Advocate from Anywhere – registration coming soon!
This March, during Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month, we’re bringing families together from across the country for a special Family Rheum Experience —a space to connect, learn, and see what’s possible when families affected by juvenile arthritis and other childhood rheumatic diseases take action together.
Hear real parent stories.
Learn more about JIA and related conditions.
Explore the supports, research, and community helping move care forward.
Whether you’re newly diagnosed or years into this journey, this is a chance to connect with others who truly understand.
Date + Registration Coming Soon
Registration to #RideWithKira coming soon!
Email info@cassieandfriends.ca for more info!
Every Month Matters – Because Juvenile Arthritis Doesn’t Take A Month Off
Cassie + Friends began with one parent showing up for his child. Today, our monthly donors are the living continuation of that promise.
When you give monthly, you ensure that when a diagnosis changes everything or a flare returns without warning, C+F is there to provide guidance and connection. You help us move closer to a future where every child receives a timely diagnosis and equitable care.
Will you show up for our kids, again and again?
