NCAA Hall of Fame coach Denny Crum and his wife Susan Sweeney-Crum are the honorary chairs of the Louisville Arthritis Walk at Louisville Slugger Field, starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, September 18. The public is invited to join the Crums in the annual event, which is designed to raise funds and awareness for arthritis treatment.
After a lifetime of work in athletics, Denny Crum is no stranger to the effects of arthritis and understands the importance of staying active. His wife Susan was diagnosed with Scleroderma in 2001 and later learned that she was also living with Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis. All too familiar with the daily pain associated with arthritis diseases, Susan is currently living an active and busy life with her husband.
Kentucky currently ranks first in the nation in the percentage of residents diagnosed and living with some form of arthritis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) projects that by 2030, 67 million people in the U.S. will live with arthritis, up from current estimates of 46 million.
In an effort to get Kentuckians moving — a key component for dealing with arthritis — the Arthritis Foundation hosts the Louisville Arthritis Walk annually. The event is designed to educate patients about the health benefits of moving while raising critical funds needed to find a cure for arthritis. This year’s walk will take place on Saturday, September 18 at Louisville Slugger Field. Registration fis free at www.letsmovetogether.org, and donations for the walk can also be made at the website.
In an effort to get Kentuckians moving — a key component for dealing with arthritis — the Arthritis Foundation hosts the Louisville Arthritis Walk annually. The event is designed to educate patients about the health benefits of moving while raising critical funds needed to find a cure for arthritis. This year’s walk will take place on Saturday, September 18 at Louisville Slugger Field.
For the 2010 walk the Arthritis Foundation has selected honorees whose active lifestyles dispel myths about living with the disease. “There are a great deal of misconceptions about who is affected by arthritis and the realities of the disease,” said Molly Young, Louisville Branch Director. “Our 2010 honorees embody the many faces of arthritis as well as possess the strength and resilience representative of every man, woman and child living with the disease. They are fighters.”
In addition to honorary chairs Susan Sweeney Crum and Coach Denny Crum, 2010 Arthritis Walk Honorees include:
HiDr. Kara Schmidt & Dr. Ken Schikler — Honorary Rheumatology Chairs
Drs. Schmidt and Schikler are Pediatric Rheumatologists with the University of Louisville and Kosair Children’s Hospital. Whether the patient is a toddler recently diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis or a teenager living with Lupus, they spend their days trying to help ease the pain caused by arthritis in children. Both physicians have been long-time supporters of the Arthritis Foundation.
Sophie Weber
Nine-year-old Sophie was diagnosed at the age of three with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). Due to accompanying Uveitis, which is common in children with JRA, Sophie had to endure multiple surgeries on her eyes by the time she was six. As challenging as it is, Sophie now bravely faces the shots, endless doctors appointments and medications required to keep her body from attacking itself, because she knows they are helping her live a better quality of life. Passionate supporters of the Arthritis Foundation, this will be the fourth year Sophie and her family have participated in the walk.
Susie Roberts
Susie was diagnosed in 2003 at the age of 17 with rheumatoid arthritis. Now 24 and living with arthritis, Susie considers herself special: special in that after 11 hours of sleep, she is still exhausted; and special because holding a child is painful and nearly impossible. Despite that, she loves her life. Susie strives to maintain a very active life as a runner in the face of her arthritis and keeps a positive outlook on her future with the disease. She is delighted to help spread awareness as an honoree at this year’s walk.
Lisa Fahringer
An elementary school teacher, Lisa grew up with aspirations of being a ballet dancer. But when arthritis struck her as a teen, Lisa’s dancing days came to an end. Now 31, she lives with a rare form of Inflammatory Arthritis and has had to endure a great deal of hardship due to the aggressiveness of her disease. She continues to fight for control of her disease and is excited to walk and raise much needed funds to support the mission of the Arthritis Foundation.
