The NationalJuvenile Arthritis Conferenceis well known for its ability to bring kids with rheumatic diseases and their families together for a weekend full of hope, inspiration and connections. The one question that gets asked the most is – “but how do we afford to get there?” For many families dealing with a constant stream of medical expenses, it may not be feasible to plan for a weekend conference that, depending on where you may live, might include extensive travel.
Lisa Palm and her “warrior”, Savannah of Cold River, California attended the 2016 JA Conference in Phoenix on scholarship. Lisa says, “We attended the Phoenix conference this year on a scholarship and it was such a wonderful experience!! This was our first conference and it was life changing for my JA daughter. She was diagnosed at age 2 and is 19 now and has never met anyone her age before with JA. She was always embarrassed to tell people what she had and always hid her pills from everyone. Now she is proud to share her story and has signed up to be an [Arthritis Foundation] advocate. Thank you so much for the scholarship, it means so much to our family.”
关节炎基金会很高兴为希望参加2017年在德克萨斯州休斯顿或印第安纳波利斯举行的JA会议的家庭提供有限的经济援助。奖学金申请面向儿童及其家庭(最多4人)和年轻人(18-25岁)。今年，有兴趣参加JA会议的比较有效性研究会议的儿童和家庭也可获得额外的奖学金。这个奖学金是在关节炎基金会奖学金的基础上增加的，所有有兴趣的申请者都可以申请。
The Cupp Family from Charlotte, North Carolina attended the Philadelphia conference, and said, “Where to begin when ” Thank You” seems so inadequate. We were so happy to be able to attend the 2016 JA Conference this year. I really believe that it was the perfect time for our daughter to connect with peers experiencing the same journey. You may go to conference expecting one or two things but you walk away with experiences, knowledge and a HOPE that you never really imagined.
我们从心底感谢你们帮助我们一家来到费城。”
A committee of Arthritis Foundation volunteers and staff review anonymous applications across the country, and no member of the committee may apply for or be awarded a scholarship. Priority will be given to families and/or young adults who are engaged with the Arthritis Foundation through advocacy, local JA initiatives and events, demonstrate a financial need/burden and/or are new to the Arthritis Foundation or are first time attendees.
“Our family would like to express our heartfelt thanks and gratitude for awarding our family a scholarship to attend the JA Conference 2016 in Philadelphia, PA. We have never attended a conference before. Our 16-year-old daughter Kailey has polyarticular JIA and fibromyalgia,” notes the Hartley family of Limestone, Tennessee. “The most important and wonderful part was seeing our daughter some out of her shell, spread her wings and fly. Normally she is shy and stays off to herself because no one can relate to her. I’ve never seen such a huge smile on her face like the one at conference. She met new people and gained some lifelong friends. She has been so excited and unafraid to share about herself and JIA with others. She’s even planning some speaking events with some of our local colleges that have nursing and medical doctor programs.”
Scholarship applications for the 2017 JA Conferences will open onJanuary 4, 2017and are due by February 26, 2017. Stay connected with us onFacebookfor the latest updates!