Index:
Reese
Ali

Meet Reese

Join us on Sunday, November 13th
2011 Jingle Bell Run/Walk - Bloomington/Normal, IL
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Reese Jeppson of Stanford, IL is 7 years old and was diagnosed with JIA in February 2011. He is one of the 300,000 children living with arthritis. His story is told by his mom, Becky Jeppson.

“Reese’s story with arthritis started with a noticed change in his personality. He went from being a happy-go-lucky, laughing child to a quiet, easily frustrated and almost withdrawn child. We took him to his pediatrician for a physical to figure out what was the matter.

The pediatrician was checking Reese’s left hip when he let out a cry of pain. Reese had his hip X Rayed and we got a call from the doctor the next day saying that Reese’s left hip was deformed and we needed to see an orthopedic surgeon...Read Reese's full story

Meet Ali

Join us on December 17th
Chicago Jingle Bell Run/Walk
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Ali has had arthritis for 23 years, so she has experienced all the ups and downs that go along with the disease. She was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) at the age of two after her mom began to notice that she became agitated every time she was forced to bend her knees. Since then, it has been discovered that Ali has arthritis in about 22 of her body's joints. As a child, Ali was forced to endure a lot of pain and went through everything from therapy to sleeping on magnetic mattresses to try and feel better.

She attributes having good health today to her mother and father, who took it upon themselves to find her a new doctor when her condition became unbearable. She began going to the Children's Hospital when she was about 14 years old, and ever since then has been provided with medicines that changed her life. Ali still lives with daily pain, but the miracles of modern medicine have helped her to lead a very normal life...Read Ali's full story