Louisville, KY (July 28, 2011)—Get ready to see hundreds of Kentuckians on the move as they join together to raise funds for an arthritis cure. On Saturday, September 17, arthritis patients, friends and family members throughout the region will meet at Louisville Slugger Field for the Arthritis Foundation’s annual 2011 Arthritis Walk. This year’s walk is being presented by Norton Orthopaedic.
Designed to educate arthritis patients about the health benefits of staying active while raising critical research funds, the event will include a 5K walk (3.1 miles) and an optional 1-mile alternate route. Both begin at 10:00 a.m. This year’s walk will also include a Kids’ Zone creativity and play area, incentive prizes for participating teams and a post-walk celebration and lunch to honor the 2011 Honorees and other advocates and patients who work daily to fight the disease.
“More Kentucky residents are currently affected by arthritis than any other state in the country,” says Arthritis Foundation Kentucky Branch Director Molly Young. “Physical activity is a key component to the management and prevention of arthritis. The walk is great way to connect those living with arthritis while staying active to improve one’s quality of life.”
Today, one in five people in the U.S. suffer from the pain of arthritis. Kentucky currently ranks first in the nation with 1.2 million men, women and children diagnosed and living with some form of the disease. Further, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) projects that by 2030, 67 million people in the U.S. over the age of 18 will live with arthritis, up from current estimates of 46 million. Of these 46 million people suffering from arthritis today, nearly 300,000 of them are children.
2011 Arthritis Walk Honorees include:
Bailee Allen
Three-year-old Bailee Allen was diagnosed with arthritis at the age of 14 months. Just one day after her first birthday, Bailee work up with a swollen ankle. After several diagnoses ranging from sprains to stress fractures, Bailee stopped walking. Within two months, however, the pain traveled to Bailee’s wrist, which led to a complete loss of mobility and the diagnosis of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Bailee now fights daily to do what other children her age are doing easily, and even though it’s not always possible, she never stops trying.
Leah Johnson
Seven-year-old Leah was diagnosed at the age of four with polyarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). Now in second grade, Leah says her best friends have become the doctors and nurses who treat her. She wants others to understand that she does not have the full mobility of other kids, and that sometimes, her body just “hurts.” But, Leah’s best advice to others suffering from the disease is, “Listen to your doctor, take your medicine and enjoy your life everyday!”
Melanie Forcht
Now age 40, Melanie was diagnosed with fibromyalgia at age 32 after suffering from chronic muscle and joint paint and stiffness, fatigue, sleep trouble, headaches and anemia. A data manager for the Jefferson County Public Schools Early Childhood Program, mother of two and full-time college student, Melanie works every day to overcome fatigue and pain. For Melanie, some days are better than others, so she has learned to allow herself time to rest and let her body recover. And she counts herself fortunate to have a very caring group of friends and family members to help out when she needs them.
Stacy State
Stacy State was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 10 after experiencing swelling of the knees and ankles, difficulty walking and difficulty getting out of bed. Now 32, she still can’t do some of the things she could do before her diagnosis, including squatting to her son’s level or bending her knees at a 90-degree angle. But with the help of medicine, Stacy focuses on staying strong and pushing herself every day. She wants patients to know not to let the disease control their lives, but to instead take control of the disease.
Dr. Cyna Khalily, M.D., Honorary Orthopaedic Chair
Dr. Khalily, an orthopaedic specialist and medical director of orthopaedics with Norton Healthcare, specializes in surgery of the hip and knee. After graduating with a B.S. in biology from Ohio State University and earning a medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Dr. Khalily completed his residency training in orthopaedic surgery at the University of Louisville.
Dr. Ryan Krupp, M.D., Honorary Orthopaedic Chair
Dr. Krupp is an orthopaedic specialist with Norton Healthcare who specializes in sports medicine for adults and children, as well as complex shoulder reconstruction. He earned his medial degree form the University of Louisville School of Medicine, where he also completed his residency training.
About the Arthritis Foundation
The Arthritis Foundation is the leading health organization addressing the needs of some 50 million Americans living with arthritis, the nation’s most common cause of disability.
For more than 60 years, the foundation helps individuals take control of arthritis by providing public health education; pursuing public policy and legislation; and conducting evidence-based programs to improve the quality of life for those living with arthritis. More information is available at 800-383-6843 or www.arthritis.org.
Contact Information
- Louisville Slugger Field
- , Louisville, KY
- 502-585-1866
Event Time
- Friday, September 16, 2011
- 8:00 PM