By age 11, Josh MacDonald had already played three incredible years of basketball. He fell head-over-heels in love with the sport and his family was delighted. That’s why it was a natural fit to raise funds for a disease close to their hearts.
Josh’s journey with arthritis began at a young age. Diagnosed with polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (PJIA) as a two-year-old, Josh has faced pain and stiffness in his joints for as long as he can remember. PJIA occurs when the body’s immune system attacks its own cells and tissues, affecting five or more joints. It leads to persistent discomfort and issues with mobility.
Despite the challenges Josh faces, his passion for basketball overpowers the pain. Introduced to the sport through small ball games at school, he joined his first team in fourth grade. From the very beginning, he fell in love with the game – living for the sense of accomplishment he felt when sinking the ball into the net. He was a natural and his coaches quickly noticed. He continues to pursue his love for basketball, even on days when the pain is all-consuming.
“Sometimes when I wake up and my joints are sore, I don’t want to do anything. I just want to lay down or sit down,” he says. “It hurts everywhere, but I will still play basketball.”
The sport that keeps on giving
Josh uses basketball as an outlet. He says, “It makes me forget about everything else — it’s like I don’t even have arthritis. I just play the sport and I enjoy it.”
On June 14th, 2024, the Cape Breton resident teamed up with his parents, Chris and Kerri, to host a Move Your Way basketball event. Move Your Way is Arthritis Society Canada’s fun and simple do-it-yourself fundraiser to help support the six million people in Canada who live with arthritis.
The MacDonald family started by inviting close friends and loved ones, but it quickly became more than that. “We had businesses donating and a letter to legitimize us as a fundraiser for Arthritis Society Canada. With a little help from friends, it took off,” Chris says.
The fundraiser was a huge success, drawing attention from both the community and CTV News. Even the premier of Nova Scotia, Tim Houston, tweeted to thank Josh for his hard work in making the magic happen. The event sparked conversations and questions among Josh’s friends about arthritis, bringing attention to how an event like this raises awareness about the disease. “You could see the kids starting to think about arthritis when they normally don’t. It was nice to see the kids care,” Chris says.
Adding to the excitement in the atmosphere, the Cape Breton University men’s basketball team surprised Josh and his friends by showing up to the event. The players took a genuine interest. Josh says, “One of the university basketball players asked me about arthritis because he didn’t know kids could get it. I explained it to him, and it was good to bring attention to the fact that kids can have arthritis too.”
The family raised nearly $6,000 from the event. They hope their fundraiser will not only raise money for arthritis research but also inspire others to participate and raise awareness themselves through future Move Your Way events. They are committed to making a difference in their community and determined to improve arthritis care in Canada. They dream of building a children’s hospital in Cape Breton to provide specialized care closer to home.
The first slam dunk of many
As Chris thinks back to the event, he’s filled with joy. “Life is far from perfect, but that moment was perfect,” he says.
Looking forward, Chris sees even more hoops in the family’s future. He has plans to run another game or tournament to continue raising awareness and money around arthritis. He’s also envisioning some star power: “I’d love to even get someone from the NBA involved!”
As for Josh, he hopes to inspire others who may face similar challenges: “For other kids with arthritis who play sports, I want them to continue. I don't want them to give up on the sport they love, even if they have arthritis,” Josh says.