Reese's Run

You may recall that I decided to join the Joints in Motion Team for the Barbados Marathon with my friend Christy. The purpose of the marathon is to raise money and awareness for the Arthritis Society. After running over 10 marathons, and dozens of other races, I really feel that I want to give back to the sport that has given so much to me.

Why Arthritis?
Arthritis is a disease that impacts many, but doesn’t receive as many donations or public awareness opportunities as other charities. Unfortunately, arthritis is also a disease that impacts many children.

My Arthritis Hero
Although I know many adults that suffer from Arthritis, there is nothing worse than a child suffering chronic pain. For this reason, I chose my friend Christy’s beautiful daughter Reese as my hero. Reese suffers from Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Reese is not alone as a child with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. Here is an excerpt from a press release from the Arthritis Society.


Affecting about 1 in 1,000 Canadians under the age of 16, juvenile arthritis (JA) is a leading chronic disease among kids in this country. The Arthritis Society uses Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month in March to heighten awareness of this disease and to raise much-needed funds for research that will find better treatments and, ultimately, a cure.
“Arthritis is a crushing reality for many children in Canada; it’s not just their parents or grandparents who are at risk,” says Dr. Brian Feldman, Vice Chair of The Arthritis Society’s Medical Advisory Committee and a paediatric rheumatologist at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. “The course of juvenile arthritis is unpredictable. Painful flare-ups may occur without warning and the child has to undergo a rigorous, time-consuming and sometimes unpleasant treatment program.”
Juvenile arthritis is the result of the body’s immune system not working properly. The immune system fails to recognize healthy body tissue and attacks it. Symptoms include excruciating pain and inflammation in the joints. Depending on the severity of the arthritis, some children experience irregular growth or physical disability.
The rest of the article can be found at the following link

Now for the Exciting News!!

In order to kick off our fundraising for the marathon, Christy and I are hosting a 4 mile virtual race for the Arthritis Society.
Here are the details:

What: Reese's Run: 4 Mile Virtual Race
When: April 24th, 2009
Registration: $10.00 minimum donation (feel free to donate more if you can!)

Great Prizes!!!
Early bird prize (Register before March 24th)
First male
First female
Random draws

To register go HERE

Christy and I would so greatly appreciate if you could post and advertise this virtual race on your blog space (feel free to copy the race banner). Your support means a lot, especially for the millions of children and adults that suffer from arthritis in North America.

Please join us and get your Joints in Motion on April 24th, for Arthritis research!