Welcome to Team Esella 2012!

Walking to raise money to help fund arthritis research, education, and community programs. 

Did you know....

Nearly 300,000 children in the US suffer from a form of Juvenile Arthritis?

We didn't. Not until our two year old daughter Esella was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis in December of 2010. It is a chronic, lifelong autoimmune disease with NO CURE. This means that her body basically attacks its own joints. She is one of the "lucky" ones, with a fairly mild case of the disease, and yet she has to take daily medications and weekly injections to be able to run, jump, and play like a typical three year old. 

This is unacceptable.

After our daughter was diagnosed, we heard about the annual Arthritis Walks organized by the Arthritis Foundation (www.arthritis.org). We decided participate in our local walk and formed Team Esella in February of 2011 to help raise funds for arthritis research, education, and programs.

Our original goal was to raise just $1000.

However, we kind of exceeded that goal. 

Thanks to the support of over 300 friends, family, businesses and a few strangers...Team Esella raised over $17,000 for our Arthritis Walk on April 30^th, 2011

You can click on the Arthritis Walk '11 Pics! Tab above to read and view pictures from our 2011 walk.  

And now, we are ready to start fundraising for the Arthritis walk 2012! Join us on 

May 5th, 2012 in Livermore, CA

Join us in this fight against Juvenile Arthritis! 

Team Esella was originally formed as an Arthritis Walk Team. However Team Esella is not just committed to raising funds and doing a walk once a year: We are committed to raising AWARENESS of this silent disease ALL YEAR LONG. Because though the walks are a fantastic way to raise money and awareness, it is just one small thing we can do to help children like our daughter. Please click on the What is Juvenile Arthritis tab above to learn more about Juvenile Arthritis. 

But first, please take just 6 minutes to watch this video that I made to help educate about JA for last year's walk.(Don't worry, I'll be making one for this year's walk also!)

Why should YOU care about Arthritis?

Because arthritis can do serious damage to the body leading to swollen, painful, and disfigured joints.

Because Juvenile Arthritis is often treated with expensive, injectable and powerful drugs that suppress an over-active immune system. Some are the same drugs used in chemotherapy treatments.  

Because one in five US adults has Arthritis

Because Arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the US.  

Because damage caused by Arthritis can lead to "joint weakness, instability and visible deformities that, depending on the location of joint involvement, can interfere with the most basic daily tasks such as walking, climbing stairs, using a computer keyboard, cutting your food or brushing your teeth." (www.arthritis.org) 

Because arthritis costs the US economy over 128 billion dollars ANNUALLY. 

Because children like Esella just shouldn’t have to suffer. 

Esella is a big sister, a cousin, a grand daughter and a friend. She loves to dance. What if one day her arthritis is flaring so badly that she can't dance? She and other children (and adults) need our help to raise awareness of this silent disease. They deserve to be able to dance. They also need our help to raise funds to find better treatments and hopefully a CURE for this silent disease.

We are devoted to make sure our baby girl, and others like her, will ALWAYS be able to dance. We need your help.  

How can you make a difference? Click on the Make a Difference Tab above to find out how YOU can help the 300,000 children and millions of adults living in pain. 

Help us raise awareness and funds for research! JOIN OUR TEAM! DONATE! FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK! SPREAD THE WORD!

Thank you for stopping by, and keep on dancing!

Team Esella