2009 Walk Honorees

Introducing our 2009 Walk Honorees...

From Denver, we will be honoring Jan Harris, mother of 9News Anchor Gregg Moss.  Jan was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis in 1971.  She has also been diagnosed with Osteoarthritis and in 1998, she was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.  She manages her arthritis by fitting arthritis into her life, not fitting her life into arthritis.  Currently, she is in remission.  She would like others to know that arthritis is a disease of many people and that finding the right rheumatologist is the key.  Since her son was diagnosed with arthritis, it has been very important to Jan to support events sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation, including the annual Arthritis Walk.

Also from Denver, we will be honoring McKenna May, our Denver Youth Honoree.  The week after McKenna turned 13 she was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis.  She was extremely tired and hurt so bad that she could not get out of bed.  Today she is managing her arthritis with medications, hot tubs, massages, and light exercise.  Its important to McKenna to get her arthritis story out to lots of people to promote awareness about arthritis and fibromyalgia.  She is excited for the 2009 Arthritis Walk!

From Colorado Springs, we will be honoring 18 year-old Kara Gramlich.  Kara plays basketball for Lewis Palmer High School and looks and competes like every other girl on the court.  Kara, however, lives with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.  She started feeling plan in her feet at the age of 10 and was very suprised when she was diagnosed with arthritis.  She currently has pain now mostly in her elbows and hands.  "Playing basketball actually helps to minimize the pain because it is good for her to keep blood flowing to her joints, "said her father Gary Gramlich.  Kara tries to use as much alternative health techniques as she can, but she still often needs to get shots in her joints.  She would like all the kids out there that have this disease that they can still go for their dreams and they shouldn't let arthritis stop them.  "Believe in yourself and know that God has a plan for your live.  Everyone goes through struggles, but you can rise above them and live your life to the fullest," Kara said.