Not the Way to go!

Gary Sage has seen first hand the impact juvenile arthritis can have on a young child. Ten years ago, his then five-year-old son, Geoff, was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis. Like many other Canadians, the Sage family was not aware that arthritis could affect people at such a young age. At first, they thought their son was having ‘growing pains’. However, after Geoff continued to complain about hurting bones and had difficulty sleeping, his family pursued the proper diagnosis.
It took two months, many trips to the hospital and a series of tests before Geoff, who is now 15, was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis. Since his diagnosis, he has endured more than 200 hospital visits and is currently waiting to have his second hip-replacement surgery.
“It’s really difficult to explain how this disease has impacted Geoff’s life because everything looks fine on the outside,” explains Gary. “Very few understand that arthritis can affect young people. The disease has taken away my son’s ability to live life like most 15-year-old kids. Geoff cannot ride a bike, play football or even put on his own socks most days. I am hopeful that one day, with commitment and dedication towards research and finding a cure, children with juvenile arthritis will be able to have access to the best treatments and will have a chance at experiencing remission.”