Seven-year-old Katie Blouin has come a long way in just four years.
It wasn't all that long ago that the young girl who was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at age 3 couldn't get out of bed, never mind walk or run with her older brother or her friends.
But this weekend, Katie will be walking with her team of supporters as one of the child ambassadors for the sixth annual North Shore Arthritis Walk in Beverly.
"I hope when people see her, they know that children can get arthritis, too," said her mother, Joanne Blouin, of Rowley.
Katie's mother, who works at Rheumatoid and Internal Medical Associates in Willmington, said she first recognized her daughter's health problems following a swimming lesson in late 2006.
"We noticed that her knee was swollen," Blouin said. "Doctors originally thought it was Lyme disease, but the tests came back negative."
Katie went to Children's Hospital in Boston, where she was referred to a rheumatologist.
"She was just miserable, crying all the time," her mother said.
Arthritis affects 46 million people in the U.S., including 300,000 children, with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis one of the most common childhood diseases, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Symptoms for children are the same as adults and include joint inflammation, stiffening, bending of the joints, joint damage and alteration or change in growth. But because the disease affects each child differently, the symptoms vary.
The cause of most forms of juvenile arthritis is unknown, but it is not contagious. And there is no evidence that foods, toxins, allergies or vitamin deficiencies play a role, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Blouin said her brother had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, but outgrew it.
"(Katie) has a severe form," Blouin said. "She has it in all her joints."
Since Katie's diagnosis, the Blouins said it has been trial and error to find the right medications to handle the pain.
Initially, Katie was required to take seven pills a day before she started Enbrel injections, which her mother administers to her daughter once a week.
"We went through a lot of medications. They would work for three months, then she was having a flare-up, and we would need something else," Joanne Blouin said. "We have been doing good on the injections for about a year."
The Blouins hope participating in walks like the one on Sunday will help raise money to find a cure for the disease. Katie will join the other child and adult ambassadors in holding the walk banner and then lead "Katie's Team" along the route. Her team has set an $11,000 fundraising goal for this year's event.
The walk represents a milestone for Katie's parents. Her father, Mike, will speak on behalf of the family at the event.
"We had the first walk when (Katie) was first diagnosed, and it wasn't exactly fun," Joanne Blouin said. "I had been in adult rheumatology and knew what was coming for her. I cried the whole time.
"But now it is fun. Katie loves it, and they have a lot of crafts for kids."
Katie, a student at Pine Grove School in Rowley, is shy about her role as ambassador but is excited for the walk.
"I'm looking forward to seeing all my friends," she said.
IF YOU GO
What: North Shore Arthritis Walk
When: Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Lynch Park, Beverly
About: The walk features a one- and three-mile route from the park. It will include a visit from Red Sox mascot Wally the Green Monster. A post-walk party will include music, children's activities, food and exhibits.
Proceeds benefit the Arthritis Foundation, including research and community health programs for people with arthritis.
To sign up for the walk, donate or volunteer, visit www.northshorearthritiswalk.org or contact Mary Halpin at 800-766-9449, ext. 134, or mhalpin@arthritis.org.
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