2009 Arthritis Walk - Northern Shenandoah Valley, VA

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Jerry Rhyne

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My Fundraising Goal:
$5,000.00

Money Raised to Date:
$4,011.00

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Show Us Your Moves!

I need your help in the movement to cure arthritis

Supporting the Arthritis Foundation, arthritis research and advocacy is very important to me. My wife, Julie has suffered with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) for 21 years. She was diagnosed at the age of 14 while a sophomore in high school. She was playing golf on her school’s team and begin to notice stiffness and swelling in her fingers. In a very short period of time arthritis claimed any hopes of playing golf again. It also claimed the hopes of doing most things that required physical exertion involving her joints. Not much later, arthritis began claiming her ability to do everyday things without experiencing great pain, things such as, brushing her hair, brushing her teeth, etc. Later, it claimed even more, it took away her ability to have children and to work a full-time job. Two years ago, at the age of 33 she had her left knee replaced. This past August she had surgery to have the joints in her right ankle fused. After the ankle fusion she was unable to walk for four months. The future will probably hold several more surgeries of this nature for Julie. But arthritis has not claimed Julie’s since of humor, her zest for life, and her desire and ability to use her life to help others. I am very proud of my wife. She is an inspiration to me and to others who know her. Despite her struggles with arthritis, she earned a master degree in social work from the University of Tennessee. She helps organize a support group that meets once a month for those who suffer from arthritis, she is an arthritis advocate in Washington DC, and she has been involved with the Arthritis Walk for five years and has served as walk chair for the last two. Julie was selected to be the 2009 Arthritis Walk National Honoree. As the National Honoree she is featured in the National Walk Video and on all the Arthritis Foundation’s walk marketing materials. It is because of Julie that I am involved in this cause but it is not only for Julie that I am involved. Julie’s joints are already ravaged by arthritis. I am involved for all of the 46 million Americans who suffer from arthritis and the most important reason that I am involved is for the 300,000 children who suffer from arthritis. Through my involvement with the Arthritis Foundation I have met many children who suffer from arthritis. It is my hope that the efforts of many working together can help to find a cure or at least better treatments. It is my sincerest hope that in the future children will not have to face a life of pain and loss as a result of arthritis and that they will not have to give up their physical activities and careers.

There is hope for those who suffer from arthritis! Great strides have been made over the years through the efforts of the Arthritis Foundation and the researchers that they sponsor. New drugs and treatments have been developed that help improve the lives of those suffering. In the not so distant past people with JRA were normally unable to walk at all. But, more funding for research is needed to help find a cure.

I have had the privilege of meeting and hearing some of the doctors speak who are doing research in the field of arthritis. They are very excited and enthusiastic about their work and believe that with adequate funding for their research a cure can be found for many of the forms of arthritis.

I hope that you will get involved in this very worthy cause! This year, I am the Team Development Chair for our local walk. So, I encourage you to form a new team and to get your family, friends, and co-workers to join your team. If you are not up for forming your own team, please consider joining an existing team. There are several teams on our walk website that are recruiting team members and you are also very welcome to join my team the “Southern Stars.” Listed below is a number of ways that you can get involved.

· Start a Team
· Join a Team
· Make a Donation
· Become a Sponsor
· Volunteer the Day of the Event

Together we can make a difference in the lives of many people!

Sincerely,
Jerry Rhyne
Volunteer Team Development Chair
2009 Northern Shenandoah Valley
Arthritis Walk

Special Thanks to: