Arthritis is at epidemic proportions in our nation. Forty-six million Americans have doctor-diagnosed arthritis and 1.7 million of them live right here in New Jersey. Yet arthritis remains the silent epidemic, overlooked by many because they view it as an inevitable disease of aging. But it is not inevitable, and it is not just a disease of the elderly.
Arthritis is the number one cause of disability in people over the age of 16. Over 11,000 children in New Jersey have juvenile arthritis, one of the most prevalent diseases among our children. These are our kids — struggling to get to class on time when the bell rings, sitting on the sidelines when others are playing, laboring to do all the simple tasks of daily living. The month of May offers us a chance to take action against arthritis.
May is National Arthritis Month and we encourage New Jerseyans to help put the arthritis epidemic in the spotlight. How? Participate in one of the eight arthritis walks occurring around the state in May. Participating in an arthritis walk not only benefits the Arthritis Foundation but offers the chance to learn about arthritis and participate in one of the best forms of arthritis pain relief: walking. This year, the Arthritis Foundation launched Let’s Move Together, a nationwide movement encouraging people to move every day to prevent or treat arthritis. Moving just 30 minutes daily — even 10 to 15 minutes at a time — can ease joint pain, promote mobility and reduce fatigue often associated with arthritis.
To learn more about the arthritis walks and the many ways the Arthritis Foundation can help you deal with arthritis, call us at 732-283-4300 or 888-467-3112 (toll free in NJ) or on the web, www.arthritis.org — keyword New Jersey. It is our hope that the Let’s Move Together movement will lead people to take action, both to improve their own lives and the lives of others with arthritis.
Linda Gruskiewicz
President
Arthritis Foundation
New Jersey Chapter
Iselin