Arthritis Walk Takes First Step

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Arthritis Walk Takes First Step

http://www.hometownstation.com/arthritis-walk-2008-03-07-11-01.html

This year, on April 27th, the Arthritis Foundation will hold its Fourth

Annual Arthritis Walk at the Bridgeport Community Park, in hopes of raising

both funds for research and community awareness of the disease which affects

46 million people in the United States alone.

Among the attendees, was the Arthritis Walk's Honoree, 21 year old

Shaffery, a Valencia High School grad and a Cal State Northridge University

student, who was just 10 years old when he was diagnosed with systemic

juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Both his mother, Joni Shaffery, the

Arthritis Walk Vice Chair, and father, Shaffery of Pool and Shaffery

LLP, spoke last evening about their family's personal experience with the

disease.

Also at the event, was Cheri Fleming, who was diagnosed with rheumatoid

arthritis when she was 29. Assemblyman Cameron Smyth awarded Fleming with

the " Certificate of Honor " as a recipient of the " Beverly 'Twigg' Kennedy

Award " , which is given to extraordinary Arthritis Foundation volunteers who

possess the qualities and virtues of the late volunteer " Twigg' Kennedy.

For more information or to register online, visit www.scvarthritiswalk.org

or call (818) 995-7378. Onsite registration for the Santa Clarita Arthritis

Walk will take place at 8 a.m. on Sunday, April 27. Warmup exercises will

begin at 9 a.m. with the 5K and One Mile Option walks begin at 9:30 a.m. The

festival begins at 10:30 a.m.