61
thePeorian.com
Last year 143 people partici-
pated in the walk and that event
and other fundraisers connected
to it raised over $15,000, Stewart
said. The goal this year is $25,000,
she said.
“
If we get more and more
people to participate, we can do
it. It’s getting people aware of
the events and about the realities
of arthritis. Of course everyone
knows what it basically is but
probably not many know there
are 120 different diseases that
come under the arthritis blanket.
Some of them are very, very seri-
ous,” she said.
While many millions of people
have one form of arthritis or
another, Stewart said another fact
that is lesser known is that the
disease can also affect children.
Nationally more than 300,000
children have been diagnosed,
including many in the Peoria
region. “It’s a myth that only old
people get arthritis. This disease
has no age boundaries,” she said.
One local child with arthritis
is Madelyne Gingerich of Peoria
Heights. Only 8 years old, she
has systemic juvenile rheuma-
toid arthritis, which not only
affects joints but also the internal
organs. Gingerich is the youth
honoree for this year’s Arthritis
Walk and she is already busy
raising money, Stewart said.
“
Her spirit is great and she’s
a worker,” she added. “We try
and do as much as we can for the
kids who just can’t do what a lot
of kids can do who don’t suffer
from the disease.”
While there is no known cure
for the disease, research is ongo-
ing. There has been more than
$400 million spent on research
since 1948, Stewart said.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 62
Not For Profit
