#KidsCantWait: Emily’s Journey

Emily was just 16 months old when she started showing symptoms. The first sign we noticed was her discomfort while getting dressed in the morning—she seemed to be in pain. Her amazing daycare workers also noticed changes, mentioning that she was less active than before. She no longer kept up with her peers, preferring to sit or roll in the snow rather than actively play.

Not long after, both of her knees began to swell, and her walking became stiff. Thankfully, she was assessed quickly, and an astute emergency room physician and pediatrician identified the possibility of JIA. She was started on naproxen, but it did not provide much relief. Soon after, she was seen at SickKids in Toronto, where she received steroid injections in both knees. At that appointment, her rheumatologist also identified multiple other affected joints, leading to the initiation of methotrexate.

Coming from Timmins, the distance to Toronto to access care was significant—an eight-hour drive with a toddler. Navigating our daughter’s new confirmed diagnosis of a chronic illness while also welcoming our newborn son Sam to the mix was overwhelming. But we were incredibly relieved to see how well she responded to the steroid injections. Within a week, she went from looking stiff and uncomfortable while walking to running easily, fluidly, and happily.

She was followed closely, and to better control her disease, particularly in joints beyond her knees, she needed to start a biologic medication in addition to methotrexate. I’m happy to say she’s doing very well on this treatment. We feel incredibly fortunate that these medications exist to help manage JIA. Seeing her play actively, pain-free, and happy has been the most heartwarming experience.

We know there will be challenges ahead, with flares and periods of remission, but we are so lucky to have an exceptional pediatric rheumatologist, Dr. Molly Dushnicky, in our corner. Coming from Timmins, I know that accessing specialized care can be difficult, but Dr. Molly is working to remove barriers and improve access for patients in northern and remote communities. We are deeply grateful for her dedication.

One of Cassie + Friends’ missions is to raise awareness and improve education surrounding JIA and other rheumatic diseases, both for the public and healthcare providers. As a family physician, I must admit my exposure to JIA has been limited. During my training, I only recall seeing it a handful of times while on pediatric rotations, and I hadn’t encountered it at all in my five years of family practice—until my own daughter’s diagnosis.

Since then, I’ve learned so much about this disease, its treatments, and its complications. I look forward to continuing to learn, advocate, educate, and hopefully see progress toward a cure in the years to come.

Connecting with other families through the Cassie + Friends Network has been incredibly helpful. Talking to parents who have been through this journey—and helping to guide those just starting out—has been both reassuring and rewarding.

What’s the most rewarding and encouraging has been seeing Emily chase and playfully torment her now one-year-old brother pain-free. I look forward to working with Cassie + Friends towards a pain-free future so kids can be kids.

Brooke Paquette, Emily’s mom