虽然费城，宾夕法尼亚是典型的历史事件，如我们国家的独立宣言和宪法的诞辰地，它也是第二次全国青少年关节炎会议的地点。In historic fashion, the Arthritis Foundation welcomed over 1,000morechildren and their families to the East conference, bringing the total number of attendees in 2016 to over 2,000 – the highest numbers to date!
Continue readingJA Conference East Touches Lives of Over 1,000 Families Living With Juvenile Arthritis
Today, families from around the nation are gathering in Phoenix, AZ, for our JA Conference WEST – the first of two nationalJuvenile Arthritis (JA) Conferenceswe are hosting this year. These two conferences give families, kids, teens and young adults affected by JA and other rheumatic diseases an opportunity to share time connecting, learning, sharing tips and forming bonds that can last a lifetime.
Continue readingFirst of Two 2016 JA Conferences Begins Today!
Every day we come across kids and their families who are stronger than arthritis. We hear about their accomplishments, whether it is smiling through soreness, or receiving the game ball from a well-pitched baseball game. Earlier this year we came across a photo of two bright eyed, smiling faces enjoying their time together at a previousJA Conference.
Continue readingStronger Than JA: Strength In Numbers
Women who havejuvenile idiopathic arthritis(JIA) – an umbrella term for several types of arthritis that develop in childhood appear to be at higher risk of developing heart disease than women who do not have inflammatory arthritis, according to a new study out of Canada. For years, researchers have examined the link between inflammatory forms of arthritis, such asrheumatoid arthritis(RA) orlupus, and an increasedrisk of heart disease. But no one had studied heart health in adults with JIA (another inflammatory form of arthritis), and little was known about the health effects of lifelong JIA during pregnancy.
Continue readingWomen With Juvenile Arthritis May Be at Higher Risk of Heart Disease
Every day we are constantly in awe of the children, siblings, parents, families and caregivers we meet, who face and overcome the everyday challenges of living with arthritis. It’s never one thing in particular, and individually or collectively, we can celebrate these victories.
Continue readingWe Want to Know How You Are #StrongerThanJA!
Payton and Jayden Ghesquiere do all the things you might expect sisters to do: Play with dolls and Legos, go swimming, make up games together, and even occasionally argue. While Payton and Jayden may look normal to outsiders, their relationship is very different than most sisters their age. You see, Jayden was diagnosed withjuvenile arthritis(JA) three years ago when she was just five years old. That means that Payton, who is only seven years old now, has lived over half her life helping and caring for Jayden. Because of JA, Payton is more than a just sister, serving as Jayden’s caretaker and best friend.
JA is challenge for all families, and it can take an especially hard toll on siblings. Payton spends time pushing Jayden in her wheelchair, and their playtime is often cut short when Jayden becomes tired. Despite the challenges, Payton remains incredibly positive and supportive, attending almost every doctor, therapy and lab work appointment with her sister. “Payton has graciously stepped up, helped out, and sat on the sidelines,” says Payton’s mother, Karrie. “She has done all this without complaint for over three years.”
Continue readingA Different Kind of Champion: Payton Goes Above and Beyond to Care for Her Sister with Juvenile Arthritis
虽然许多人认为关节炎是老年人的疾病，但关节炎影响所有年龄段的人，包括儿童。In fact, an estimated 300,000 children are living withjuvenile arthritis. Each year, we bring JA kids and families together at our annual Juvenile Arthritis Conference to share their experiences, spend time with other kids and families like them, and ultimately, to instill a sense of hope and optimism that the Arthritis Foundation is here to support them in their journey to live their best lives.
The theme for this year’sJuvenile Arthritis Conference上个月在奥兰多举行的是“希望在这里生长”，天啊，我们看到这个主题变成了现实。参加2015年JA大会的孩子们和他们的家庭给这个活动带来了能量和乐观的精神，尽管事实上他们每天都与疾病生活在一起，这种能量和精神可能会受到疾病的限制。我们问JA的孩子们:“尽管有关节炎，你最大的希望是什么?”Check out the video below to learn more about the fantastic hopes and dreams of just a few of the hundreds of thousands of children across the country living with juvenile arthritis:
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.
Continue readingHope Grows Here at Juvenile Arthritis Conference 2015