Walk to Cure Arthritis in Libertyville takes place May 18
More than 500 Chicagoans are supporting the Arthritis Foundation's mission to help people with arthritis live a full life by participating in the 2019 Walk to Cure Arthritis on Sunday, May 5, at Montrose Harbor, 601 W. Montrose Ave. in Chicago.
A walk in Lake County will be Sunday, May 18, at Old School Forest Preserve, 698 S. St. Marys Road, Libertyville.
Walk to Cure Arthritis, the Arthritis Foundation's annual, flagship fundraising event, is the largest arthritis gathering in the world. It is where communities join together nationwide to see the power of LIVING YES, celebrate Arthritis Warriors, and connect with others in the community - while raising funds for research, resources and a cure.
The Arthritis Foundation is dedicated to helping people with arthritis be a Champion of Yes by giving them the tools and resources they need to live a full life. This year, the community will band together again to help support the 2,316,000 living with arthritis in Illinois.
"We can all make a difference in the lives of people with arthritis - the number one cause of disability," said Jessica Bearak, executive director at the Arthritis Foundation. "For 70 years, the Arthritis Foundation has been committed to conquering this disease through life-changing programs and services like this one, which we're excited to say, continues to grow year after year."
At the Chicago event, the organization will recognize the following Chicago area honorees:
• Michelle Boston of Chicago, Psoriatic Arthritis Adult Honoree: After four years of pain, Michelle Boston was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis in January of 2015. Michelle has now found the right treatment plan and continues to live her life as pain free as possible. Michelle is a teacher in the suburbs of Chicago.
• Kayla Munao of Mount Prospect, Ankylosing Spondylitis Youth Honoree: Kayla is 14 and was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a form of arthritis, in December 2016. Kayla originally became involved with the Arthritis Foundation to be around other kids like her. Kayla thinks it is very important for people to know that not only adults get this disease.
• Manish Jain, M.D., of Wilmette, Medical Honoree: Dr. Manish Jain is a rheumatologist on the North Side of Chicago. He is a lifelong Chicagoan and is a Loyola Rambler, Northwestern Wildcat, and Rush Medical School graduate. He lives in Wilmette with his wife - an oncologist - and two daughters (ages 4 and 2), and a cockapoo named Baba Ganoosh.
At the walks, registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the walks step off at 10 a.m. Locals can register for the Chicago Walk to Cure Arthritis and learn more about the event by visiting walktocurearthritis.org/chicago or contacting Caroline Passalino at (312) 248-4593.
For information about the Lake County Walk to Cure Arthritis, contact Kim Kempf at kkempf@arthritis.org or call (312) 690-9603. To learn more about the fight to cure arthritis, visit www.walktocurearthritis.org.
The Arthritis Foundation is the Champion of Yes. Leading the fight for the arthritis community, the foundation helps conquer everyday battles through life-changing information and resources, access to optimal care, advancements in science and community connections.
The Arthritis Foundation's goal is to chart a winning course, guiding families in developing personalized plans for living a full life - and making each day another stride toward a cure. The foundation also publishes Arthritis Today, the award-winning magazine that reaches four million read