2009 Arthritis Walk - Myrtle Beach, SC

My Personal Page

Welcome to the Donation Page of
Kelly Mezzapelle

My Team Page

	$100
	$50
	$25
	Other (min. $10)

Enter Donation Amount Here: *Currency shown: US Dollar $

My Fundraising Goal:
$2,100.00

Money Raised to Date:
$1,313.40

If you are unable to donate online, please print out a donation form.

Show Us Your Moves!

My Arthritis Story:

Did you know there are over 100 different kinds of arthritis? Yea, I didn’t know that either, until I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis 3 years ago. When Dr. Conaway hit me with the news I said “I can’t have arthritis, I’m not old enough to have arthritis!” Well, he looked at me like I had 2 heads, then carefully explained to me that “arthritis” simply means “disease of the joints”. I don’t have the one that older people get, osteoarthritis, where calcium deposits build up in the joints. No, lucky me, I have rheumatoid arthritis, where my own immune system attacks and destroys the synovial fluid in my joints.

Synovial fluid, that’s the natural lubricant your body produces to grease your joints. Without it, the bones in your joints grind against one another. Yea, that’s about as fun as it sounds. Stupid immune system, what does it think, aliens came down from the planet Synovy and wormed their way into my knuckles and knees? Is my immune system going to save the Earth from these alien intruders by making sure I can’t walk up the stairs or grip the steering wheel? What the heck?

Needless to say, I’m fighting this progressive disease with all I’ve got, but there is no cure, at least not yet. That’s where you come in, and I’m willing to make a deal: I’ll spare you the details of my treatments (*WARNING* there are needles involved) if you’ll help me reach my fundraising goal. I am participating in the Arthritis Walk as a part of Let's Move Together, the Arthritis Foundation's nationwide movement that encourages people to move to prevent or treat arthritis.

Not convinced? OK, you asked for it – the scary stats: Today, one in five people suffer from the pain of arthritis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) project that by the year 2030, 67 million people in the U.S., or 1 in 4 adults, will live with arthritis. You can join me in the movement against arthritis by helping me reach my goal. Let's Move Together to improve lives and reduce the pain of arthritis.

Special Thanks to: