7 year old has arthritis ... Purdue organizes Arthritis Walk

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Purdue organizes Arthritis Walk

http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080318/LIFE03/803180301

Plake has arthritis, a disease that plagues the body with joint

stiffness and pain. Some people live decades before the symptoms hit.

But the 7-year-old cannot remember a life without the disease.

" I was born with it, " the first-grader said. " I grew up with it. There's a

lot of things I've been through with arthritis. "

Under the umbrella of arthritis there about 100 rheumatic diseases and

conditions. was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, an

auto-immune disorder, four months shy of her second birthday.

Although the disease affects each child differently, it can cause joint

inflammation, joint damage, changes in the child's growth and weakness in

muscles and other soft tissues in the joints.

is one of an estimated 294,000 children under the age of 18 in America

with some form of arthritis or rheumatic condition.

To help the cause, the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student

Pharmacists at Purdue University has organized the local Arthritis Walk, the

Arthritis Foundation's annual nationwide fundraising event. It is the second

annual walk at Purdue, which will be April 6. Organizers hope to raise

$15,000 to benefit the Arthritis Foundation's research.

The walk is open to anyone. Participants may choose to walk a 1-mile or

3-mile route. Last year, about 150 walkers raised an estimated $10,000 to

benefit the Arthritis Foundation. The objective is to recruit 200 walkers to

reach this year's goal.

Sunny Ting, public relations co-chair for the group hosting the walk, said

the association hopes to bring awareness to the prevalence of the disease

and the people it affects.

" There are a lot of people affected with arthritis around us, " said the

19-year-old. " Not only will old people get it, but children get it as well. "

" It is sometimes very painful to see kids get it, " he said.

The disease is prevalent with one in five adults nationwide (46 million) who

are doctor-diagnosed with arthritis. In Indiana 1.34 million adults are

affected with the disease and an estimated 6,400 children, according to the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Ting said this walk is a good opportunity to get people to see that

arthritis can affect anyone contrary to the common perception of arthritis

being an older person's disease.

does not have that perception. In the earliest years of her youth, she

has difficulty opening doors and handling small work tasks such as buttoning

shirts.

But the hardest part for her is not found in accomplishing the mundane

tasks, but the fun, energetic activities that children desire to do.

" It's very hard to compete in sports, " she said. " That's the very hardest

thing to do. "

She tried to swing the bat in softball, kick the ball in soccer and twirl in

ballet but the activities were too difficult.

" It was hard to grip the bat, hard to catch the ball, " she said. " I couldn't

hold the bat because it was too heavy and that was frustrating. "

A small child, with bright eyes and a thin frame, she doesn't have the

strength or stamina that other kids have.

Outside the disease, she is a normal child who sometimes is timid around

strangers, enjoys annoying her older sister, likes watching TV and riding

her bike.

But her parents can see her limitations.

" It's harder for me and my husband because we are able to compare her to

other kids, " said her mother Kim Plake, who is an assistant professor of

pharmacy practice at Purdue. " We try to normalize her life by not limiting

her activities -- she'll tell us if she can't do something. "

When she was first diagnosed, couldn't bear weight.

She started walking, but it got to the point where she couldn't stand

because of the inflammation.

She had to wear braces at night. It took her a while to become symptom free.

Now her knees have improved because of the braces and medication.

The disease not only affects , but the whole family.

's 10-year-old sister Katy Plake feels that gets special attention

because of the disease.

" She () gets to go on trips a lot and gets to talk in front of my mom's

students, " Katy said.

recently went to Washington D.C. for an arthritis advocacy summit for

families to discuss funding for arthritis research with legislators.

She got to see the Lincoln Memorial, which made her feel lucky because she's

learning about the presidents in class.

" The most funnest part was meeting other kids with the disease, " she said.

It was an adventure for her. But once again the disease showed up and after

walking for awhile, her knee started hurting.

The pain may effect 's body, but her mind is still wide open with hope

and admiration.

" I want to be a doctor because it includes helping people, figuring out

diseases and figuring out how to take care of them, " she said. " I think it's

a good thing to be a doctor. "