Youth Ambassador Cara Garrity, 14, of Lynn, MA leads 3rd annual North Shore Arthritis Walk

[Guest guest]

Local residents to lead Arthritis walk May 21

Thursday, May 11, 2006

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Swampscott resident Sandy Carroll will be the Adult Walk Ambassador for the

Arthritis Foundation's third annual North Shore Arthritis Walk, joining

Youth Ambassador Cara Garrity, 14, of Lynn.

Neither Carroll nor Garrity fits the stereotype of a person with

arthritis. When people think of arthritis, the image that comes to mind most

often is of a white-haired grandmother complaining about her knees.

But Garrity was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at the age

of 8 and Carroll was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 41.

Both refuse to let their disease bring them down and are eager to tell

others to take control of their arthritis and not to let the disease control

them.

Carroll and Garrity are spreading the word in their local communities

about the fact that arthritis affects all ages in large numbers and that a

cure needs to be found. They are asking people to help them do this by

supporting the North Shore Arthritis Walk.

Other local residents who are active on the planning committee for the

walk include Ina Hoffman of Marblehead, community liaison for Jewish

Rehabilitation Center in Swampscott, and Jeff Gopen, DPT of Swampscott,

director of rehabilitation services at the JRC. Rheumatologist Zantos

Beaupre, M.D., of Swampscott is the medical co-chairwoman of the walk.

The planning committee is calling for people to take action in the fight

against arthritis by participating in the North Shore Arthritis Walk on

Sunday, May 21, at Lynch Park in Beverly. It will raise funds and awareness

to fight arthritis, the nation's leading cause of disability. To get

involved or form a walk team, visit www.northshorearthritiswalk.kintera.org

or call 1-800-766-9449, ext. 134. s, non-walkers and dogs are welcome.

Arthritis or chronic joint symptoms are more widespread than imagined,

affecting 66 million Americans, or one out of three adults and approximately

300,000 children. Here in Massachusetts, arthritis affects more than 1.5

million adults and 3,000 children.

" The Arthritis Foundation is here to help people with arthritis take a

more active role in managing their disease. Participating in the Arthritis

Walk can be a first step toward the healthy lifestyle that may help prevent

or control arthritis, " said H. Klippel, M.D., president and CEO of the

Arthritis Foundation. Studies have shown that physical activity like walking

can improve joint flexibility and reduce pain for people with arthritis. The

walk can be used to kickoff a new walking habit which will help improve the

quality of life for people with arthritis.

More than 400 arthritis walks take place in communities nationwide each

May in conjunction with National Arthritis Month. Participants can walk for

a friend or a family member with arthritis, while people with arthritis wear

blue hats to signify they are walking to take control of their arthritis.

The national presenting sponsor for the Arthritis Foundation Arthritis

Walk is Aleve, marketed by Bayer Consumer Care. Other national sponsors

include Nature Made TripleFlex, Pfizer Animal Health Rimadyl and Arthritis

Today magazine. Local sponsors include Abbott Immunology, North Shore 104.9

and Centocor.