Meet Sarah Appleby
2009 Boston Arthritis Walk Ambassador

Sarah Appleby has captained Boston Walk Team "Team Foxboro" for the last two years. In that time, the team has raised over $16,000! This was not an easy task, but the now seventeen year old was determined that she would do the best she could to support the Arthritis Foundation. The Foundation was the first place she and her family turned to when she was diagnosed at age 15 with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.   

Learning to campaign a fundraising effort has taught Sarah how to speak up and pursue a cause about which she is passionate. She has learned to reach out to her community by presenting at Town Hall meetings and has granted interviews and photos for newspapers and local TV stations. Sarah viewed her diagnosis as an opportunity and not a limitation.

But the road to her diagnosis was long and frustrating. For years, Sarah was seen for aches, pains and random swelling. She was examined by General Practioners who, by all accounts, treated her for the symptoms she was describing. While Sarah did not participate in sports other than cheerleading and tennis now and then, many of her visits were chalked up to sports related injuries.

Sarah was first mistakenly diagnosed with tendonitis and had been told to attend physical therapy. Since her arthritis does cause pain in her tendons, the diagnosis made sense. However, her pain continued in various joints in her body. Sarah was seen countless times and was then told she had bursitis. When her legs were hurting, she was told she had a knee bone problem called Osgood Schlatters disease. This went on for years.

In February of 2007, Sarah experienced painful and disfiguring swelling of her fingers. She was unable to close her hands and the lightest tap would be excruciating. It wasn't until her knuckles were noted by her doctor, that the word "arthritis" entered the picture. However, blood work did not indicate arthritis and so tests were taken for Lupus and Lyme disease, which all came back negative.

It took a diagnosis by Dr. Sundel at Boston Children's Hospital of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis to finally give an accurate diagnosis. Sarah's reaction was one of pure relief! It wasn't what her parents and friends were expecting, but as she explained it, "Suddenly there's a name, a real reason why I have always felt the way that I do."

 Therefore, spreading awareness of JRA isn't solely to pass on word that the condition exists and that it affects as many children as it does. Her own experience and long road to diagnosis also plays a part in her advocacy. Sadly, too many people don't realize that arthritis can occur in young children and it is something to consider when a child is in pain such as Sarah. She knows that recognizing the signs and symptoms of arthritis is critical so that proper care can be given immediately. It is important for Sarah to describe her experiences and share her story with other people, especially children and their parents. 

Arthritis is an immune disease which Sarah deals with on a daily basis. It takes a lot out of her just to fight the common cold because her immune system has to work harder than that of a healthy individual. She has also been treated with a variety of different medications to try to manage her pain. Some of these, however, have presented her with side effects that are more troublesome than her Arthritis-related symptoms. Finding a balance in her life and an effective medication for her needs has been an ongoing process.

Sarah is a member of the National Honors Society and puts her academics first. But because of the JRA, some school accommodations had to be made. These include things such as an extra set of books at home to ease the pain of carrying them and access to pre-typed notes when her hands are not capable of writing. At first, Sarah felt too self conscious to ask for assistance, but she learned that the school faculty and her guidance counselor were happy and willing to do whatever it took for Sarah to succeed.

The 13^th Annual Boston Arthritis Walk will occur in Sarah's senior year of high school. She considers this her last opportunity to gather together the friends and family who make up the team as she prepares to go off to college the following fall. However, Sarah has the intention of being an advocate no matter where she is in life.

Being an ambassador this year is both an honor and a privilege for which she is most grateful. She wishes for every participant in the Walk to realize they make a big difference in the lives of many.