One Teen’s Powerful Fight Back Against Juvenile Arthritis

Playing softball meant the world to me, but everything changed in spring of 2021 when I sustained a right ankle injury running the bases at softball practice. I wore a boot for four weeks and missed the rest of the softball season. Eventually the pain went away, and I was excited to return to softball; however, in the winter of 2022 I began to have increasing pain and was referred back to an orthopedist who diagnosed it as weakness and sent me to physical therapy. This therapy helped with some of my pain, but I was also relying on a brace.

The Journey That Led to My Diagnosis

When softball season came around again, my pain was not going away, and my symptoms began to increase significantly, including limping and knee swelling. My parents took me back to orthopedics who suggested more physical therapy, but my dad spoke up and demanded an MRI. This was a gamechanger! The findings on the MRI looked strange and I was referred to a pediatric rheumatologist who fortunately was only ten minutes from our house. As I sat in the doctor’s office, I was hopeful that I would finally get answers to some of my lingering questions…

What was happening to me and why could I not walk normally, like I used to?

Is my condition curable or do I have to live with this for the rest of my life?

Will I ever be able to play softball again?

Based on the exam and MRI results I was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA); however, none of my questions were answered that day and I was only prescribed Meloxicam, to reduce the pain, swelling, and stiffness. This did not provide relief from my symptoms and one week later I could hardly walk. My mom decided to seek a second opinion at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) where she works, two-and-a-half hours away.

A More Hopeful Journey on the Horizon

We were able to get in to see a CHOP pediatric rheumatologist quickly due to an appointment cancellation and when we saw Dr. Jay Mehta, he validated all my concerns. He told me that "this disease stinks," but his goal was for me to forget that I had arthritis and to only remember I have it when I need to take my meds.

After leaving this appointment I felt more hopeful about my diagnosis!

The first medication prescribed was methotrexate.

Methotrexate did help alleviate some pain, but it would ruin half of my week. I would feel tired (and couldn’t get out of bed for a day or two), nauseous, and so anxious. I missed a lot of school or would go into school late. Kids didn’t understand what was wrong because JIA is an invisible disease, so why was I sitting out for gym or why did I have an elevator key at school? Why couldn’t I go to the mall on the weekends and walk into a bunch of different stores for hours? I lost friends because kids couldn't comprehend how much pain I was in and how much I was suffering.

In January of 2023 Dr. Mehta decided to start me on a different medication and spoke positively about an injection called Enbrel and this ended up being my wonder drug.

Back to Being a Teenager and Some Normalcy

By the beginning of March 2023, I was starring in my first musical production, and the pain was finally starting to subside. I was happier and able to endure harder dance practices. My mom said that I was amazing in my show. This boosted my confidence and validated the fact that the medication was working. I became involved with the Arthritis Foundation and took advantage of their resources with opportunities to network with other kids and families with this disease. This past summer I participated in a Juvenile Arthritis (JA) Resident Camp hosted by the Arthritis Foundation and had so much fun with other kids also diagnosed with arthritis or rheumatic disease. I encourage all kids with these conditions to find a JA Camp near them to participate in.

What’s Next for Me

I have become more active in advocating for children with rheumatic disease. In June 2026, I attended the American College of Rheumatology’s annual Rheum Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C. where I advocated for better access to care and treatment options for pediatric patients on Capitol Hill by telling my story to my local and state legislators.

September is Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month (RDAM) and I encourage fellow kids living with rheumatic disease to use this month as an opportunity get involved, speak out about your medical journey, and make a difference for yourself and the lives of others.