Youngster's message: Kids get arthritis too

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Youngster's message: Kids get arthritis too

Girl, 13, raising funds, awareness

http://ebs.gmnews.com/news/2008/0501/front_page/010.html

MONROE- When eighth-grader Lassiter is forced to sit out of baseball

and other games she enjoys during gym class, her classmates might not

understand why.

Some do not know that is affected by juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

(JRA) - but that is something she is hoping to change.

As youth chair for an Arthritis Foundation Walk she is organizing along with

her mother, , is working toward her objective. Themed " Kids Get

Arthritis Too, " the walk is meant to help people understand that arthritis

can strike at any age.

" My goal is to really spread awareness, " said , 13. " People see my

flier and come up to me and say, 'Oh my God, kids can get arthritis? My

grandma has arthritis.' "

In theU.S., there are about 300,000 children with arthritis, according to

the Arthritis Foundation's Web site. Some kids who have JRA go untreated

because they are never diagnosed, said.

Due to a lack of pediatric rheumatologists in some states - there are only

200 throughout the country- some children are unable to get the treatment

they need, or even become aware of why they experience certain symptoms. As

a result, the bones of undiagnosed children can become permanently damaged,

rendering them disabled, said.

" The purpose of the walk is to get the word out about JRA, " said. " More

kids have arthritis than juvenile diabetes, cystic fibrosis, muscular

dystrophy and cerebral palsy combined. "

Fortunately for , her arthritis is well controlled. She has not

experienced some of themore severe effects of the condition, such as lung

swelling that leads to asthma, or extreme anemia, said. At the same

time, her physical strength is affected by having JRA.

" For me personally, I ... am prone to getting tired a lot, " said.

Though fatigue is the symptom experiences the most, she also suffers

from joint pain and frequent headaches.

While theremay be no escaping the difficulties she has to endure, is

gleaning major encouragement from the amount of support she and hermomhave

garnered for the walk. So far, they have raised $2,500 for the Arthritis

Foundation, mostly from area schools.

In addition to the school district providing use of theMonroe TownshipHigh

School football field and track for thewalk, the high school, Applegarth

Middle School, and the Barclay Brook and ide elementary schools have

all hosted events to raisemoney and awareness for the cause.

Teachers at several schools have held " Dress Down Day, " which allowed them

to don their casual clothing at work for donating to the cause. Students

have sold healthy snacks and taken part in other fundraising activities to

lend a hand.

JimO'Connor, a teacher at ide Elementary School, held " Stand Up for

ArthritisDay " on Friday, as the culmination of a week's worth of arthritis

awareness events. Studentswere required to stand for long periods of time so

they could gain a better understanding of what life is like for those who

suffer from arthritis.

Students in other towns are also getting involved. 's father,

vice principal at Highland Park High School, has brought the fundraising

efforts to his place of work.Also, 60members of theNationalHonors Society

are doing their part to help out. Schools as far away as St. Cecilia's in

Iselin are helping out, as are schools in neighboring towns, like Immaculate

Conception School in Spotswood, said.

" It's so amazing, " said. " All these people are supportingme.Alot of

themdon't even know me, but they're willing to stand up for a cause they

didn't even know existed. "

's sisters, Amy, 9, and Chrissy, 12, have a good understanding of JRA,

according to. Chrissy enlistedmore than 100 of her peers to form their

own team for the walk, said.