#KidsCantWait: Christina’s + Isabella’s Journeys

Hi, my name is Joscelyn Daskalopoulos, and this is our family’s story of living with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) — a disease that affects two of our three children.

Our journey began when our second child, Christina, was diagnosed at just one year old. She had started walking before her first birthday, but then suddenly stopped. She chose to crawl everywhere and when she did try to move around, she would avoid bending one of her knees.

Concerned, I took her to a pediatrician who initially suspected an infection. After a round of antibiotics with no improvement, we returned to the clinic. By chance, a pediatric rheumatologist from SickKids Hospital in Toronto, Ontario was on staff that day. We were asked to stay and meet with her — a meeting that forever changed our lives.

That day, Dr. Lynne Spiegel diagnosed Christina with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. We are so grateful to have met her. I had no idea that children could even have arthritis.

Since then, Christina’s arthritis has been carefully managed with medications, cortisone injections, MRIs, X-rays, and maintaining an active lifestyle. Unfortunately, her arthritis has spread from her knee to her ankles, ankle tendons, hips, wrists, fingers, toes, jaw, and even the bone in one shoulder. Despite these challenges, Christina has shown incredible perseverance and refuses to let arthritis define her.

Now 16 years old and in Grade 10, Christina continues to pursue her passion for gymnastics. In 2023 and 2024, she placed 2nd in the province for women’s tumbling, and she is currently a member of the 2025 Ontario Provincial Tour Team, recently winning gold in Michigan at the Winter Classics Invitational. This year, she hopes to qualify for the Eastern Canadian Championships — a goal we are so proud to support her in.

Our youngest daughter, Isabella, was diagnosed with arthritis at just two years old. During my pregnancy with her, I was told that it was extremely rare to have two children with JIA in one family. So, when Isabella began walking a bit unsteadily and falling often, I didn’t immediately suspect arthritis.

It wasn’t until a serious fall — which led to a broken leg and her being casted — that I realized something more might be happening. I noticed months before her fall that her walking had changed:

• She couldn’t run like other toddlers.
• By mid-day, she would turn her foot out while walking, as if compensating to alleviate pain.
• She climbed stairs sideways to avoid bending her foot properly.

When I raised these concerns with our pediatrician while Isabella was still in her cast, she brushed them off and suggested I speak to the fracture clinic doctor when the cast was removed. She also mentioned physiotherapy but did not pursue any further investigation. I left that appointment feeling defeated, crying on my way home.

A few weeks later, I had what I call my lightbulb moment. One morning, I had to wake Isabella early. After changing her and setting her down, I noticed she couldn’t stand or walk unassisted. She was reaching for walls and furniture just to make her way to me. That moment broke my heart — I realized she was in pain, likely struggling with morning stiffness, a hallmark of arthritis.

I immediately contacted Dr. Spiegel, Christina’s rheumatologist, and that same day, Isabella was seen and diagnosed. She soon began the same treatments her sister had.

Today, Isabella is 9 years old and in Grade 4. Though running and jogging remain a challenge, she doesn’t let her arthritis stop her. Last year, she joined her school’s cross-country team and plans to run again this year. She loves swimming and has recently started trampoline lessons, with dreams of competing one day alongside her big sister on the tumbling track!

One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned through this journey is that staying active is critical for managing JIA. For our girls, activity at least a few times a week for an hour or more makes a huge difference. Anything less doesn’t seem to keep their joints in optimal condition.

But it’s a balancing act. Overtraining can cause flares of pain in her arthritic joints, so we’ve learned to monitor carefully. Right now, Christina trains about 14 hours a week in gymnastics, which seems to be her “sweet spot.” Any more than that, and she starts to feel increased discomfort.

Living with arthritis is a daily challenge, but both Christina and Isabella have found ways to manage their pain and continue pursuing their dreams.

One of the most meaningful experiences for our family was attending the Family Day Conference hosted by Cassie + Friends in May 2024. Christina and Isabella had the chance to connect with other children living with JIA, but most importantly, our oldest daughter Anastasia — who does not have JIA — had the opportunity to meet other siblings of kids living with arthritis. For her, it was a powerful and eye-opening day.

The networking, education, and friendships formed at that event were invaluable to our entire family. We walked away with new friends, answered questions, and a sense of community that we had never experienced before.

Our family’s story is one of resilience, hope, and determination. We hope that by sharing our journey, we can help raise awareness for JIA and show other families that, while the path is difficult, it is possible to live fully with arthritis.

In addition to sharing their family’s journey with Juvenile Arthritis, the Daskalopoulos family is deeply involved in raising awareness and creating change. Isabella, Christina, and their sister Anastasia are co-authors of two children’s books, which they use to empower and inspire young readers. Their father, Sam, played a pivotal role in organizing Scoring Goals for Juvenile Arthritis—Cassie + Friends’ inaugural charity hockey event, which was part of our unforgettable Toronto Family Day celebration. This event also marked the launch of a major international scientific conference on childhood arthritis, hosted by the Understanding Childhood Arthritis Research Network (IUCAN). We are incredibly grateful for the Daskalopoulos family’s passion, advocacy, and commitment to supporting other families living with JIA. Learn more about Scoring Goals for the Community and explore their children’s books here.