research

We’re honoured to share a guest blog from one of our incredible youth in the community, Kai. Diagnosed with PFAPA at just seven years old, Kai faced more than most kids his age.

This World Lupus Day, we’re honoured to share a guest blog from one of our incredible youth mentors, Hunter. Diagnosed with lupus at just nine years old, Hunter faced more than most kids his age. Now at 24, Hunter works as a research assistant at SickKids Hospital in Toronto, helping…

Hi! I’m Brittany – and I’m here to share with you a bit about my experience as someone who works in health research and lives with Ankylosing Spondylitis! I currently work as a Senior Research Associate at the University of Calgary, where I’ve had the opportunity to work on projects…

Dr. Molly Dushnicky’s story sounds like a lot of her patients’: When she was just 18 months old, she stopped walking, her knees wouldn’t bend easily, and she wasn’t her usual happy self. That’s when she was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). Now, Dr. Dushnicky is a Pediatric Rheumatologist…

A recent report by Mental Health Research Canada underscores the pressing need for improved access to mental health services for youth. Vulnerable groups, including those already managing chronic conditions, face particularly steep challenges. Among these, youth with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) and other rheumatic diseases experience disproportionately high rates of anxiety, depression,…

To have a chronic illness is to be fighting every day for the next. My name is Paige Simpson. I am 17 years old, I was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, otherwise known as JIA. I have been treated for JIA for 15 years but have been battling this condition…

Did you know that the University of Saskatchewan has one of the longest, continuously operating pediatric rheumatology research programs in the world? Read more to learn why the IDEA lab is proud to partner with Cassie + Friends and support activities like our annual Saskatoon Run/Walk on September 7th, which…

Great news for Canadian autoinflammatory patients of all ages: Canada is getting its own registry for systemic autoinflammatory diseases! What exactly is a systemic autoinflammatory disease? Systemic autoinflammatory diseases (SAID) currently include over 50 rare conditions that are caused by uncontrolled systemic and organ-specific inflammation. These disorders usually start in…

Thanks to the generous support of our donors, we are very excited to now be recruiting for our second International Postdoctoral Fellowship in Pediatric Rheumatology in the Brown Lab (http://kbrownlab.ca) at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Read below to hear from our first fellow, Dr. Lovro Lamot, a Pediatric Rheumatologist…

C+F Research Partner Highlight: The Brown Lab at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute in Vancouver, BC. With your help, Cassie + Friends has now invested nearly $500,000 in the Brown Lab in support of their work to discover less invasive tests and more precise treatments for children affected by juvenile arthritis and other…

On Thursday, April 19th, the members of the Cassie and Friends Society Board, youth leaders and parent volunteers came together for our Annual General Meeting. We are excited to share the report provided by Cassie and Friends’ Co-Founder and Board Chair, David Porte, outlining the amazing things we’ve been able…