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Arthritis Society And Cassie & Friends Join Together To Help Stop Childhood Arthritis

Matching donation supports life-changing research into arthritis affecting 24,000 young Canadians

VANCOUVER, February 1, 2019 – The Arthritis Society is pleased to announce a partnership with Cassie & Friends (C&F) to support our research investments into juvenile idiopathic arthritis and other forms of rheumatic disease that affect three in every 1,000 Canadian infants, children and teens.

This partnership brings together Canada’s largest charitable funder of arthritis research investment and programming with the only charity in Canada 100% focussed on childhood arthritis. The primary goal of the partnership is to raise the profile, reach and impact of stopchildhoodarthritis.ca, the Arthritis Society’s five-year, $5-million initiative that is funding research into personalized medicine aimed at stopping childhood arthritis in its tracks. 

“The challenges of childhood arthritis are too big for any one organization to tackle,” said Arthritis Society president and CEO Janet Yale. “Some of these children have literally never known a day without pain. We welcome this partnership with Cassie & Friends, and we applaud their unwavering commitment to finding solutions for these youngest, most vulnerable Canadians. Their support for Stop Childhood Arthritis speaks to our shared passion for ensuring that no child has to live in unnecessary pain.”

The partnership was announced at last night’s All-In For Arthritis Gala in Vancouver, where C&F Chair David Porte announced that C&F will donate up to $60,000 in matching funds to encourage more Canadians to support the Stop Childhood Arthritis initiative. This will give other donors the opportunity to amplify the impact of their own contributions to make an even bigger difference for kids with arthritis.

“Cassie and Friends was started by parents like myself who know the devastating realities of childhood arthritis all too well.” said Porte at the event. “For eleven years, I have watched my daughter suffer due to a lack of information and insufficient treatment. Cassie and Friends is determined to fill those gaps and ultimately transform the lives of kids and families who suffer with these incurable and potentially devastating conditions every day. We, and our donors, are behind any initiative that will help us realize that mission as soon as possible.” 

This is an investment in children, and in discovery. The future of arthritis care is going to be driven by a focus on innovation, and in that context Stop Childhood Arthritis is a game-changer with potential implications for arthritis care that extend far beyond children. The Arthritis Society welcomes the support of Cassie & Friends and other donors to help make a that vision a reality.

For more information, or to make a donation in support of childhood arthritis research and initiatives, please visit stopchildhoodarthritis.ca.

ABOUT THE ARTHRITIS SOCIETY

The Arthritis Society is a national health charity, fueled by donors and volunteers, with a vision to live in a world where people are free from the devastating effects that arthritis has on lives. Begun in 1948 with one very clear goal – to alleviate the suffering of people crippled by arthritis – that same volunteer-led passion carries on today in communities across Canada. Through the trust and support of our donors and sponsors, the Arthritis Society is Canada’s largest charitable source of investments in cutting-edge arthritis research, proactive advocacy and innovative solutions that will deliver better health outcomes for people affected by arthritis. The Arthritis Society is accredited under Imagine Canada’s Standards Program.  For more information and to make a donation, visit arthritis.ca.

ABOUT CASSIE AND FRIENDS SOCIETY

Cassie and Friends’ (C+F) mission is to transform the lives of kids and families affected by Juvenile Arthritis (JA) and other rheumatic diseases. Founded in 2007 by a group of determined parents and doctors, we are the only charity in Canada 100% focused on addressing the major gaps in care, support and research affecting the childhood rheumatic disease community. Since 2007, we’ve committed over $2 million to innovative, life-changing research, advocacy, equipment, education and child and family support programs, including organizing the largest JA patient gathering in Canada and launching a national Youth Leader Network. By 2023, our goal is to be active in every pediatric rheumatology centre in Canada to support, connect and ultimately transform the lives of the children and their families who live with these incurable and potentially devastating conditions. For more information and to support our mission, visit cassieandfriends.ca.

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For further information, please contact:

Alicia D’Aguiar
Communications specialist
Arthritis Society
1-800-321-1433 x3354
adaguiar@arthritis.ca

Jennifer Wilson
Executive Director
Cassie and Friends Society
604-617-1382
jennifer@cassieandfriends.ca

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