Reesa Partida grasps and loops a dangling swath of fabric, places her foot against it and lithely climbs up before swooping into an aerobatic dance of twists, splits and perfectly pointed toes – a demonstration of grace and strength. “I think I was inspired by Cirque du Soleil,” Reesa says with a laugh. “I thought it looked like a lot of fun, so I started by taking a class three and a half years ago.”Continue readingDefying Gravity: Athlete and Dancer Reesa Partida Takes RA in Stride
One sultry afternoon in September, Terry Bradshaw was hanging around the horse-training facility on his ranch in Thackerville, Oklahoma, reflecting on turning 70 a few days earlier. “The ride I’ve been on has been an absolute joy,” says Bradshaw. “The good and the bad, all of it.”Continue readingHead to Head With RA
As part of our vetting process forArthritis by the Numbers– a collection of verified arthritis facts and figures – we invited patients to comment on the disease section that most affected their lives. After all, they are the experts on how the disease changes and challenges everyday living.
Meet Kathy Geller, who touched many lives during the years she spent as an Arthritis Foundation exercise trainer and education program presenter – a role model for successful self-management. Following, in her own words, is Kathy’s story about living with severe degenerativeosteoarthritis (OA)and how the statistics she reviewed in Arthritis by the Numbers relate to her personally.
As part of our vetting process forArthritis by the Numbers– a collection of verified arthritis facts and figures – we invited patients to comment on the disease section that most affected their lives. After all, they are the experts on how the disease changes and challenges everyday living.
Meet Liz Morasso, a licensed clinical social worker at UCLA’s department of radiation oncology who hasvolunteered for the Arthritis Foundationsince 2002. That’s when, at age 16, she was diagnosed withsystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)andrheumatoid arthritis (RA). Over the years, she has immersed herself in leadership roles with the Foundation and speaks nationwide to inspire patients living with chronic illness.
Following, in her own words, is Liz’s story about living with these conditions and how the statistics she reviewed in Arthritis by the Numbers relate to her personally.Continue readingLiz Morasso: Support Networks Helped Her Adjust to a New Life
When Mark Rucker was diagnosed in 2015 withrheumatoid arthritis (RA)at 44, he had mixed emotions. He was glad to know what had been causing the often unbearable pain in his hands, feet, jaw and toes for the past year. But, he recalls, “I always thought RA was a disease that only affected elderly women, not someone who was in the midst of training for their second Ironman competition.”
A real estate attorney in Lexington, Kentucky, Mark in the past had been a self-described “385-pound couch potato.” Being told in 2011 that he was too big to ride on the rollercoaster with his kids spurred him to change his lifestyle. He traded in sugary sodas for water, cut processed sugar and addedfruitsandvegetablesto his diet, and began to walk a mile each day during his lunch hour. He lost 135 pounds, and those lifestyle changes led him in 2013 to complete his first Ironman – a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile marathon.
Continue readingLife Doesn’t Stop with RA: How Three People Keep Doing What They Love
Charcandrick West, professional football player with Louisiana roots, gets real about what keeps him going, how no hurdle is too high and why he likes to win on and off the field.
我不记得我第一次接触足球是在什么时候，但当我第二次接触足球时，大概是在6岁左右，我就迷上了它。我还记得当我还是个孩子的时候，从球场上抬头看到我的爸爸妈妈在为我加油。我为比赛付出了所有，让看台上的人感到高兴，这是一种兴奋。
I knew that I had the “it” factor – and my parents believed in me, too, which made all the difference in the world. My goal was to leave my legacy in my hometown of Cullen, Louisiana, and graduate to the “bigs.”
Identical twins Annamarie and Ginamarie Russo share many qualities: They look and sound alike, they love acting and traveling – and both haverheumatoid arthritis (RA).
在将近20年的时间里，这对34岁的双胞胎姐妹都不享有风湿性关节炎。Ginamarie was diagnosed with juvenile RA (now calledjuvenile idiopathic arthritis) when she was 12; Annamarie was diagnosed 18 years later, at age 30.
Continue readingDouble Take: Twins with RA Fight It Together
In recognition of May as Arthritis Awareness Month, we asked bloggers what they’ve learned from having arthritis, and what they want others to know.
It’s early morning in Los Angeles, and actress Kathryn Leigh Scott, despite a long flight from New York the day before, has finished her morning walk before heading to wardrobe for her new film,The Eleventh Green. At 74, sheexercises every day, which has helped her stay fit – and recover quickly after twohip replacements.
While Kathryn is often remembered for her roles in the television soap operaDark Shadows, a cult hit that ran from 1966 to 1971, her acting career spans over 50 years, with a wide range of roles in television and movies. In addition, she has authored six books, both fiction and nonfiction.
Anna Neu is 8 years old and holds a title she’d rather not have – the youngest person ever diagnosed withankylosing spondylitis (AS). She can’t remember a time when she wasn’t plagued by pain in her spine and hips, the telltale sign of her disease. Diagnosed as a toddler, Anna has good days and bad, but often, she’s sidelined by a form of arthritis most people don’t even realize affects children.
“Anna started complaining of bugs biting her back and waking up screaming in the middle of the night when she was just 2 years old,” says her mom, Emily. “She would stop and sit when the family was out for a walk around the block and say, ‘I have no more runs left’ or ‘my engine ran out.’”
Despite the pain, she’s a brave girl, working hard to help doctors learn more about her disease and how to best treat it. A regular study participant at the National Institutes of Health, Anna is hoping she willhelp researchers find better treatments, and one day a cure, for AS.
Continue readingAnna Neu: Fighting for Childhood