Zion's Story

Zion Graf first learned that he had arthritis in June 2016 at 15 years old. After experiencing extreme pain and swelling in both heels and his left knee for a year, he was diagnosed with enthesitis-related juvenile arthritis (JA). The diagnosis came as a shock because he didn’t fully understand what arthritis was, and he had never heard of a young person with the disease. He was also relieved, as he now knew what he was fighting and could work toward getting his pain under control.  

Arthritis changed Zion’s perspective on life. In two short years, he went from being able to do everything an average, active kid would do, to being limited and in pain. Before arthritis, playing sports was a big part of Zion’s life, and it was tough for him to not be able to play due to the pain. Once his pain was managed, Zion came to have a new found love and respect not only for sports, but also for doing everyday things like waking up in the morning and experiencing little pain. Though there were times when Zion felt like giving up, he continued to do what he loved.