Girl with juvenile arthritis to take part in benefit walk
Juvenile arthritis affects 10,000 N.J. children
BY KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer

Eleven-year-old Woodbridge resident, Cynthia Brown, who has had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis since she was 4 years old, will participate in the 2007 Arthritis Walk in Verona Park.

WOODBRIDGE - When 4-year-old Cynthia "Cindy" Brown came home from preschool in 2000, her mother, Dianna, noticed her daughter had a swollen right knee.

"I asked her if she fell down because it wasn't there that morning," Dianna Brown said. "She said she hadn't, and we went to the doctor's and I gave her Benadryl, but nothing had changed. It was bizarre."

Fortunately for the Browns, their local pediatrician in Edison took all the right precautions and suggested blood tests for Cindy, who is now 11 years old and in the sixth grade at Woodbridge Middle School.

"In a two-week span, after six blood tests, we found out that Cindy had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis [JRA]," Dianna Brown said. "It showed that she had high levels of ANA [antinuclear antibody - a blood test to detect autoimmunity - and it's useful in predicting which children are likely to have eye disease with JRA]. It was fortunate that our doctor had seen JRA before and knew the symptoms of the disease."

JRA is arthritis that causes joint inflammation and stiffness for more than six weeks in a child of 16 years of age or less. Inflammation causes redness, swelling, warmth and soreness in the joints, although many children with JRA do not complain of joint pain. Any joint can be affected, and inflammation may limit the mobility of affected joints.

Cindy's arthritis is painless; however, it has caused inflammation in her eyes and left the possibility of the eye disease glaucoma. Besides her pediatrician, she sees an ophthalmologist and a rheumatologist.

"When she first was diagnosed with the disease, she went into a coma," said Dianna. "One of the side effects of the disease is inflammation in the eyes. It's either she would be in a lot of pain or have inflammation in the eyes. Cindy had three surgeries between kindergarten and second grade."

After Cindy finished second grade, the Brown family tried to slowly take Cindy off the medication Methotrexate, which is injected once a week, but the disease came back.

"Now we are again trying to take her off the medication, but we are doing it in even smaller doses than before," said Dianna. "We will only know if she is getting better if we get her off the medication. It's been a year and it has been good."

The Brown family - Steve, Dianna, Cindy and Josiah - will participate in the 2007 Arthritis Walk in Verona Park at 10 a.m. on May 6.

The walk is sponsored by Barton's Candy and Saint Barnabas Healthcare System.

"This is our second year doing a walk," said Dianna. "We did one in Point Pleasant last year and anticipate participating in them every year."

The walk in Verona Park is focused on the children who have arthritis and will feature arthritis information and a NutriSystem sampling tent.

"Prior to the walk, friends, families, co-workers, and arthritis survivors get energized with breakfast and warm-ups, then take a stroll down a mile route," said Rosanna Bio, who is the walk's chairperson. Her niece, Victoria Bellafiore, 12, was diagnosed with JRA at the age of 4 and is also this year's Arthritis Walk Youth Chair. "Children can also enjoy face painters, balloon artists and a craft tent."

The event will include former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula, the N.Y. Red Bulls freestyle soccer team, members of the Harlem Wizards basketball team, Lars Tribus - the 2003 Masters Champion of downhill mountain biking, and the Newark Bears mascot. After the walk, participants are invited to the concert stage to hear Steve Roslonek of Steve Songs, winner of two Parents Choice Gold Awards, and four winning albums, including a brand-new album called Marvelous Day.

The Arthritis Walk, the national signature event of the Arthritis Foundation, celebrates individuals who are currently living with arthritis while simultaneously raising money to support its dedication to eradicating the disease. The funds are raised through the lives of people living with arthritis.

"There are over 10,000 children who suffer from arthritis in New Jersey and I'm one of them," said Bellafiore of Montville. "Being this year's Arthritis Walk Youth Chair has really helped me to speak publicly about my condition and has made me more open about it."

Bio and Bellafiore said their goal is to educate the community that arthritis is not just a disease that affects the elderly, but one that afflicts people of all ages.

"More than 300,000 children nationwide have arthritis, which is more than muscular dystrophy, hemophilia and cystic fibrosis combined," they said.

The theme of this year's walk is "It hurts to be No. 1," as arthritis is the No. 1 cause of disability in those over the age of 16. In conjunction with this theme, the Arthritis Foundation will be hosting a "Walk Among the All Stars." Eleven different sports will be represented, and the kids walking will have the chance to participate in some way at each of the areas and collect a ticket for visiting. The tickets collected along the route can be used to take a chance on winning some great prizes.

Cindy Brown's tae kwon do master, Mohhamed Elshikh, will represent tae kwon do as one of the 11 different sports. Brown, who has been practicing tae kwon do since September 2005, will present her skills as a purple belt during the walk.

"It's important for the kids to continue exercising," said Dianna. "Cindy did swimming and dance when she was younger, and now she does tae kwon do."

"This year's walk is going to be really exciting," said Dr. Beth Chalom, of Livingston, the recruitment chair of the walk. "One of my favorite parts about the walk is when you get to read messages to all the heroes - those who live with arthritis - along the route from their loved ones and also read stories written by our heroes - those who live with arthritis - about what it's like to live with arthritis every day."

For more information about the walk and arthritis contact the Arthritis Foundation at (732) 283-4300 or visit www.arthritis.org.