When people think of arthritis, they generally associate it with aging, due to a common misconception that the condition only affects adults.
One courageous Hoboken boy who says he wants to “raise money to find new medicine” is putting a different face on the condition.
Five-year-old Hobokenite Jessie McAllister, who was diagnosed with Systemic Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis two and a half years ago, plans to chair the Hudson County Arthritis Walk on Sunday May 6 at the Liberty State Park in Jersey City. There, he will address over 1,000 people.
“I’m very excited,” said McAllister in regards to being the youth chair of the event. “I just hope people feel better.”
McAllister, who attends the Kaplan Pre-school in Hoboken, will be accompanied by his parents, grandmothers, and cousins, who will walk the 1-mile distance of the Walk. In addition, the Synagogue of Hoboken’s sixth grade Hebrew class will be walking on McAllister’s behalf.
“I’m proud of him,” said Jessie’s mother Ruthy. “It makes me feel good that we’re doing something that in the end will help more children and adults with arthritis.”
According to Arthritis Foundation Spokeswoman Poonam Balani, last year’s local Walk, which was the first in Hudson County, raised just under $350,000 and drew over 3,000 participants from throughout New Jersey. In 2006, the approximately 400 communities that took part in similar arthritis walks raised slightly less than $8 million.
McAllister will be the first-ever youth chair of the Hudson County Arthritis Walk.
Jessie’s story
In the fall of 2004, after being hospitalized on and off for a two year period due to inexplicable bursts of high fever, red-bumpy rashes, and an immobilizing pain throughout his body, McAllister was diagnosed with Systemic Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, a chronic inflammatory disorder that causes the immune system to attack the joints.
According to his mother, the successful diagnosis came as a result of the persistence of two local physicians, Doctors Andrzej Klos and Piotr Oko of Hoboken Pediatrics, who refused to stop until they knew what McAllister suffered from.
“When you don’t know what’s wrong with your child, and nothing is making him feel better, you feel so powerless. Your nature as a mother is to fix your child every way you can,” said Ruthy.
Because of his condition, McAllister is currently taking medication to fight inflammation and may have to undergo physical therapy in the future.
Although he is aware of his arthritis, he refuses to allow the condition to negatively affect his life. He is an active player in a soccer league in Jersey City and has taken part in yoga and karate, as well as riding his bicycle around town with his mother.
McAllister also enjoys more creative pursuits such as writing and drawing, having already authored several home-made books involving ghost tales. He likes to draw monsters, superheroes, and flowers for his mother. According to Ruthy, McAllister will attend Hoboken’s Wallace Primary School in the fall, which has both physical and occupational therapy rooms he can use in the future if necessary.
The Hudson County Arthritis Walk and the foundation behind it
The Arthritis Foundation was created in 1948 to improve the quality of life of those with the condition while searching for a cure. Currently, the foundation helps over 46 million Americans better control arthritis while informing others on how to prevent it from worsening.
The foundation consists of more than 600,000 volunteers. It creates community based public health initiatives across the nation that promote an increase in government funding to provide further research.
Over $350 million has been raised since 1948 by the Arthritis Foundation, which serves all 50 states.
This spring, more than 400 communities will be taking part in the Arthritis Walk, according to Balani. The Walk was begun five years ago on a national level, and came to Hudson County in 2006.
In addition to individual residents, Balani said local schools, churches, civic groups, and businesses will also take part in the event. For more information about the walk or to find out how you can help the foundation, log onto http://www.arthritis.org/.
Michael Mullins can be reached at mmullins@hudsonreporter.com.