Youngster's message: Kids get arthritis too Girl, 13, raising funds, awareness with walkathon in Monroe BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer MONROE - When eighth-grader Katie Lassiter is forced to sit out of baseball and other games she enjoys during gym class, her classmates might not understand why. Some do not know that Katie is affected by juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) - but that is something she is hoping to change. As youth chair for an Arthritis Foundation Walk she is organizing along with her mother, Karen, Katie is working toward her objective. Themed "Kids Get Arthritis Too," the walk is meant to help people understand that arthritis can strike at any age. "My goal is to really spread awareness," said Katie, 13. "People see my flier and come up to me and say, 'Oh my God, kids can get arthritis? My grandma has arthritis.' " In the U.S., there are about 300,000 children with arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation's Web site. Some kids who have JRA go untreated because they are never diagnosed, Karen said. Due to a lack of pediatric rheumatologists in some states- there are only 200 throughout the country - some children are unable to get the treatment they need, or even become aware of why they experience certain symptoms.As a result, the bones of undiagnosed children can become permanently damaged, rendering them disabled, Karen said. "The purpose of the walk is to get the word out about JRA," Karen said. "More kids have arthritis than juvenile diabetes, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy combined." Fortunately for Katie, her arthritis is well controlled. She has not experienced some of the more severe effects of the condition, such as lung swelling that leads to asthma, or extreme anemia, Karen said. At the same time, her physical strength is affected by having JRA. "For me personally, I ... am prone to getting tired a lot," Katie said. Though fatigue is the symptom Katie experiences the most, she also suffers from joint pain and frequent headaches. While there may be no escaping the difficulties she has to endure, Katie is gleaning major encouragement from the amount of support she and her mom have garnered for the walk. So far, they have raised $2,500 for the Arthritis Foundation, mostly from area schools. In addition to the school district providing use of theMonroe Township High School football field and track for the walk, the high school, Applegarth Middle School, and the Barclay Brook and Brookside elementary schools have all hosted events to raise money and awareness for the cause. Teachers at several schools have held a Dress Down Day, which allowed them to don their casual clothing at work for donating to the cause. Students have sold healthful snacks and taken part in other fundraising activities to lend a hand. Jim O'Connor, a teacher at Brookside Elementary School, held Stand Up for Arthritis Day on Friday, as the culmination of a week's worth of arthritis awareness events. Students were required to stand for long periods of time so they could gain a better understanding of what life is like for those who suffer from arthritis. Students in other towns are also getting involved. Katie's father, Michael, vice principal at Highland Park High School, has brought the fundraising efforts to his place of work. Also, 60 members of the National Honor Society are doing their part to help out. Schools as far away as St. Cecilia's in Iselin are helping out, as are schools in neighboring towns, like Immaculate Conception School in Spotswood, Karen said. "It's so amazing," Katie said. "All these people are supporting me. A lot of them don't even know me, but they're willing to stand up for a cause they didn't even know existed." Katie's sisters, Amy, 9, and Chrissy, 12, have a good understanding of JRA, according to Katie. Chrissy enlisted more than 100 of her peers to form their own team for the walk, Katie said. Scheduled for Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon, the walk will take place at the Monroe Township High School track, 1629 Perrineville Road. Along with the one- to three-mile walk, the event will include family-friendly music, crafts, games and prizes. For more information on the event or to make a donation, e-mail Karen at monroewalk1@ aol.com.