Blog

There are so many reasons why I do the Walk to Fight Arthritis. 

I grew up in a time when there were no treatments for RA and most ended up in wheelchairs with severe deformities, like me. These days, rheumatoid arthritis is becoming an invisible illness because of new advances in treatment and progress is being made in research to find the cause of RA. That’s a good reason to walk.

I grew up in a time when little or no attention was paid to the emotional and mental health aspect of coping with arthritis. Like about a third of people who live with rheumatoid arthritis, I’ve spent a lot of my life with this condition being depressed. And like a good chunk of that third, I have been suicidal. The Arthritis Society offers a wonderful online course to help people minimize the impact of arthritis on mental health. That’s a good reason to walk.

Six years ago, I listened to a speech by Dr. Edward Keystone in which he talked about the incredible advances that were beginning to allow rheumatology to look at pre-clinical RA, maybe even stopping it before it starts. A recent journal article shows how much progress has been made in this area. That’s a good reason to walk.

In the last 13 years, I have twice come really close to death, but thanks to the amazing medications now available, I’m still here. That’s an excellent reason to walk.

On June 4, 2017, I will be doing the 5K in the Walk to Fight Arthritis. With me will be all the wonderful friends and family who have joined the Your Life with RA team, plus a couple of new members. We’ll be walking to raise funds for research and programs to support the 4.6 million Canadians who live with arthritis and their families and friends. 

Asking for donations, especially from people who live with chronic illnes, can be a bit tricky. So many are spending everything they have on medication, rent, and food. If you have some left over — even a small amount — your support would mean the world. And if you have more than a bit, he would support would mean the world.

I am walking with gratitude for all the advances that have been made and all the ones that are in the works. I’m walking for me and I’m walking for you.

You can donate to me personally or to the Your Life with RA team. Thank you!