The 2019 Live Yes! Conference of Champions, Sept. 13-15, sparked conversation, learning and celebration. Many Arthritis Warriors joined top volunteers, partners and other supporters of the arthritis movement to move our crucial work ahead. Ultimately, this ongoing work will help even more people with arthritis live their best life.
As a highlight of the conference, the Arthritis Foundation’s 2019 Evening of Honors was held in Atlanta on Sept. 13. There, we recognized Champions of Yes who have demonstrated what’s possible. The special evening was hosted for the second year in a row byPete Scalia,co-anchor of WBNC 10TV’s “This Morning” news program in Columbus, Ohio. Pete has been very open about living with RA and highly engaged in local Arthritis Foundation activities.Champion Awardswere presented to several individuals who stood out for their spectacular support last year:
Marty Welch
Marty got involved with the arthritis movement after seeing his grandmother battle the disease and because it was a natural fit with his professional role in the workers’ compensation industry. He has raised tens of thousands of dollars for arthritis research and resources in Hawaii. Marty is a driving force for Walk to Cure Arthritis in Honolulu and Hilo; he showed his true colors by dying his hair green for the event to raise local visibility of arthritis.
Nick Samarripas
尼克在俄克拉荷马城看到了新的机会，并说服其他支持者加入进来，他把对关节炎的支持提升到了一个更高的水平。在他的领导下，这些机会得以实现。2018年，“走到治愈关节炎”项目筹集的资金是前一年的三倍，对青少年关节炎项目的支持再次大幅增加，包括为该州急需的一名儿科风湿病医生提供总计35万美元的捐款。多亏了尼克，在短短两年内，每年的筹款都呈指数级增长。
Robin Dore, MD
Rockin’ Robin is the #1 fundraiser, has the #1 team and is the #1 Champion of Yes in Orange County, California. She was awarded an Arthritis Foundation fellowship in the late 1970s, which started her journey as a practicing rheumatologist and a vocal Advocate for the arthritis community. Dr. Dore received our Health Care Professional of the Year Award in 2015, and since 2008 Team Dore has raised over $500,000 for the mission. She also serves on the Foundation’s national board.
Martin Lotz, MD
We awarded Dr. Lotz of Scripps Research Institute the 2019 Lee C. Howley $10,000 prize for Arthritis Scientific Research. Since receiving an Arthritis Foundation Investigator Award in 1988, Dr. Lotz has pursued understanding how arthritis develops and ways to stop joint damage before it occurs. His work appears in 13 scientific publications over the past year. Dr. Lotz is an Arthritis Foundation board member and chairs the advisory committee in our OA Center of Excellence.
Paige Goehner
12岁的Paige加入我们，谈论她在美食频道“儿童烘焙锦标赛”的不可思议的经历，在2019年的第六季中，她超过了其他11名选手，赢得了2.5万美元的大奖。伴随着关节炎长大的佩吉在烘焙方面找到了自己的“Yes”，她鼓励其他年轻人寻找并追求自己的激情。
Alpha Omicron Pi
Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity & Foundation was honored with the Corporate Impact Award, recognizing their significant contributions to the Arthritis Foundation since 1967. AOII passionately supports Walk to Cure Arthritis, Jingle Bell Run, JA camps and the National JA Conference. They presented a Big Check at the ceremony in the amount of $711,000. We also accepted a Big Check of over $500,000 from the Independent Order of Odd Fellows & Rebekahs, another longtime supporter.
Special Salute to Kevin Purcell
The evening’s top honor, the Charles B. Harding Award for Distinguished Service, went to Kevin Purcell. Diagnosed with arthritis at age 10, Kevin faced many obstacles. He was left with two fused wrists, a fused left elbow, one remaining neck vertebrae, 50% loss of motion in both ankles and two knee replacements.
But Kevin persevered and began volunteering for the Arthritis Foundation — and he eventually volunteered to form a support group to help others deal with challenges like he faced. Founded in 2007, the group Arthritis Introspective merged with the Foundation a few years ago.
Besides his selfless support of the arthritis community, Kevin is a daredevil through his personal passions: motorbiking, sports car autocross racing, flying gliders, archery and anything to do with superheroes and sci-fi movies.
残疾人经常被告知他们不能做什么。凯文一直在证明一切皆有可能。今天，作为关节炎基金会工作人员的一部分，凯文为“是的!在线社区和生活是的!连接组。
Thank you to all our loyal volunteers, patient partners, sponsors and other supporters nationwide. The 2019 Evening of Honors saluted the best of the best. Our sights are set on having 2020 vision in the year ahead. Be part of it!