On July 23, families will make their way to Orlando, Florida, for the 2015 Juvenile Arthritis Conference. It’s an unforgettable annual family event, where more than a thousand kids, teens and young adults with arthritis, and their parents and siblings, come together to meet, learn and play.
“Hope Grows Here,” the theme for this year’s event, is all about hope and creating more moments of Yes! What’s your greatest hope? We asked this of kids from all over. “No more pain, no more swelling, no more shots, a cure for arthritis” captures many of the responses we received. Our Juvenile Arthritis Conference offers a chance for families to meet others who are going through similar challenges; they share stories, learn about the latest treatments and research, and strategies for managing daily activities and developmental and social issues. Most will tell you it is even more than that. By the end of the four-day conference, “hope” will have grown in kids and their families. Friendships will be formed, smiles shared, memories created, which will last a lifetime – and everyone will be counting the days until the next Juvenile Arthritis Conference happens.
Theme nights will get everyone in the spirit! On opening night, everyone will wear their state shirts or favorite sports team gear. On Friday night, to celebrate “Hope Grows Here,”, “flower power” will be displayed. Attendees will be adding a flower to their outfit, or dressing in their groovy sixties fashion, to represent peace, love and HOPE. On Saturday night, for the big group photo, everyone will be wearing their “Hope Grows Here” shirt. On the final night, by tradition, individuals will be sporting their Walk to Cure Arthritis or Jingle Bell Run/Walk team shirts.
Families can attend Doc-in-the-Box, where parents can talk one-on-one with doctors and speakers at the conference. Kids will love the Band-Aid art, caring canine therapy dogs and scavenger hunts, just to name a few special moments. Young adults can learn to cook healthy, on a dime, with little time. Teens can join in on journaling – while parents can attend “Seeing JA through Siblings’ Eyes,” and much, much more.
关节炎基金会是“是的”的捍卫者。我们的存在是为了征服关节炎和其他儿童风湿病。近70年来，我们一直在满足家庭独特而紧迫的需求。在美国，估计有30万儿童患有JA或其他风湿病。再乘以他们的父母、兄弟姐妹、大家庭和其他人，受影响的人数是一个天文数字。关节炎基金会正在重申我们坚定的承诺，帮助他们和他们的照顾者。我们正在勇敢地领导JA斗争，确保人们能够轻松获得改变生活的资源、社区和护理。
Related Resources:
- The Arthritis Foundation Helps Families Cope With JA
- July is National Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month