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Williams
Lake
Tribune
Ten-year-old
Sam
Wasstrom
has
been
in
and
out
of
the
hospital
since
he
was
three.
Diagnosed
with
a
form
of
juvenile
arthritis,
Sam,
who
lives
in
Williams
Lake,
is
still
receiving
further
diagnoses
for
his
condition,
which
may
turn
out
to
be
Lupus,
says
his
mother
Jill
Wasstrom.
"He's
been
sick
since
he
was
three
and
a
half,"
she
says.
"The
stuff
he's
gone
through
has
been
horrific."
His
auto-immune
disorder
has
meant
numerous
hospital
visits,
pain,
depression,
and
"poking
and
prodding,"
which
Sam
hopes
no
other
child
will
have
to
go
through.
On
Friday,
April
17
from
5 to
9
p.m.
and
on
Sunday,
April
19
from
9
a.m.
to
5
p.m.,
Sam
will
be
at
Save-On-Foods
selling
wristbands
he
designed
in
order
to
raise
money
for
the
Ross
Petty
Research
Chair
at
BC
Children's
Hospital
to
help
kids
like
him.
Sam
is
donating
all
of
the
money
he
receives
through
Celebs
for
Kids,
an
organization
set
up
to
help
kids
with
arthritis
and
lupus.
He
hopes
to
help
find
a
cure
so
no
other
child
will
need
to
be a
"guinea
pig."
His
goal
is
to
raise
$2,000
from
the
wristbands
he
is
selling
for
a
minimum
donation
of
$5
each
to
help
the
organization
and
its
mission
to
build
the
research
centre
at
BC
Children's
Hospital.
"We
definitely
need
something
like
this,"
Jill
says.
The
Celebs
for
Kids
organization,
which
is
on
the
web
at
www.celebsforkids.ca,
was
started
after
Karim
Chandani
found
out
his
eight-year-old
daughter
had
lupus.
Since
then,
Chandani
has
been
working
to
raise
$4.2
million
to
open
the
first
Canadian
research
centre
for
children
and
teens
suffering
from
chronic
autoimmune
diseases,
such
as
lupus
and
rheumatoid
arthritis.
Celebs
for
Kids
was
born
after
Chandani's
friend,
Shelagh
Boyd,
joined
the
cause.
A
waitress
at
the
Shark
Club,
Boyd
regularly
encountered
celebrities,
so
she
started
recruiting
them
to
the
cause.
Before
they
knew
it,
celebrities
such
as
actor
Gregory
Harrison,
Boston
Bruins'
Milan
Lucic,
and
Canucks'
Brendan
Morrison
joined
the
cause.
Last
Thursday,
Sam
attended
a
Vancouver
Canuck's
game,
where
he
gave
the
players
wristbands
after
the
game.
A
walk
is
also
planned
on
May
10
in
North
Vancouver
to
further
help
with
the
cause.
Anyone
wanting
to
purchase
a
wristband
can
contact
Sam
at
250-398-7888.
Jalisa's
Story
Jalisa
born
in
Vancouver,
BC
May
16th,1999.
Diagnosed
with
Lupus
in
June
2007.
Now,
I
really
cant
travel
very
much!
My
Lupus
was
diagnosed
in
early
June
2007!
It
has
been
difficult
because
Lupus
to
me
means
that
my
body
always
aches
and
my
joints
hurt!
The
medications
(Steroids)
help
my
low
blood
platelets
but,
make
me
big
makes
my
body
swells!
It
was
pretty
funny.
One
day,
after
school,
I
came
home
and
had
a
bug
bite
on
my
leg.
Over
the
weekend
it
got
worse
and
worse,
bigger
and
bigger!
My
mom
took
me
to
the
walk
in
clinic
and
they
gave
me a
cream
and
said
that
its
a
spider
bite.
They
also
had
me
do a
blood
test!
About
3
days
l
after,
the
hospital
called
my
mom
and
said
for
her
to
take
me
to
the
hospital
right
away.
We
got
to
the
hospital
and
they
started
doing
all
sorts
of
tests.
They
said
my
platelets
had
gone
really
low
and
there
were
other
problems
but
more
tests
had
to
be
done!
They
still
couldnt
figure
it
out!
My
dad
then
called
different
hospitals
all
over
the
world
and
a
doctor
from
the
Mayo
clinic
arranged
for
me
to
be
seen
by a
doctor
at
Sick
kids
Hospital
in
Toronto.
It
was
scary!
He
told
us
that
we
would
have
to
do a
bone
marrow
right
there
and
then!
It
hurt
so
much!
That
afternoon
,he
told
me
that
I
had
SLE
Lupus!
Sometimes
I
have
a
kind
of
pain
that
feels
like
a
needle
going
through
my
body.
It
could
be
my
arm
or
any
other
place
in
my
body.
Sometimes
in
hurts
in
weird
places
like
my
ear
or
on
the
tip
of
my
toe.
I
use
this
gel
that
is
call
Arnica
gel.It
is a
pain
reliever
that
really
helps
me
when
parts
of
my
body
hurt!
You
just
rub
it
on.
The
other
problem
I
have
is
blood
platelets.
My
lowest
count
was
13.That
means
that
a
cut
can
make
me
bleed
to
death!
Normal
people
have
a
count
of
up
to
400!
My
life
has
changed
since
I
was
diagnosed
with
Lupus.
They
also
put
me
on
medication
called
Prednisone!
It
makes
me
hungry
and
I
find
that
I
always
need
to
eat!
It
has
made
me
fat
and
I
feel
uncomfortable
at
times
with
how
I
look!
I
have
changed
so
much
in a
few
months.
 I
even
eat
more
than
my
dad
sometimes
and
he
is
way
bigger
than
me!
Some
people
make
fun
of
me.
I
like
the
kids
in
my
class
who
just
want
to
know
more
about
Lupus
and
they
never
make
fun
of
me!
They
like
me
for
me!
Who
I
am!
Even
though
I
look
different
most
people
still
like
me
for
who
I
am.
When
I am
in
the
cafeteria,
I
thought
I
would
be
sitting
all
alone.
My
real
friends
at
school
dont
let
that
happen.They
always
come
and
give
me
company
and
sit
next
to
me.
At
recess,
me
and
all
my
friends
like
Jojo,
Katherine,
Aria,
Seri,
Michelle,
Madeline
and
sometimes
Kimia
play
handball
under
the
covered
area.
But,
when
its
sunny,
it
hurts
my
head
and
I
hate
it!
I
cant
wait
for
my
Lupus
to
go
away
so I
can
lose
my
weight
again,
be
normal
again
and
the
doctors
said
that
it
may
happen!
My
dad
is
trying
to
help
me
and
other
kids
with
Lupus.
he
says
that
if
we
can
find
a
cure
or
better
pain
medications
that
is
not
steroids,
everyone
will
be
happy;
he
wants
to
help
open
the
First
Research
Centre
in
Canada
at
Children's
Hospital
in
Vancouver
with
a
chair
dedicated
to
pediatric
rheumatology.
It
is
going
to
be
called
the
Ross
Petty
Chair
For
Research!
There
are
less
than
half
a
dozen
such
chairs
in
the
world.
I
cant
wait
for
this
fundraiser
that
he
is
organizing.
I
cant
wait
to
see
Bertuzzi
again!
He
is
always
so
nice
to
me.
Just
like
Brad
May
and
Gretzky!
I am
so
looking
forward
to
seeing
all
the
players
and
having
my
friend
there
to
help
at
the
event.
written
by
Jalisa
Devin's
Story
Imagine
crawling
to
the
breakfast
table
because
youre
too
stiff
to
walk
or
crying
because
you
are
in
pain
after
playing
two
innings
of a
baseball
game
. I
would
like
to
tell
you
about
a
disease
I
have
had
since
I
was
2
1/2
years
old.
Arthritis
is
swelling
and
pain
in
any
body
part.
One
in
1000
children
under
age
16
has
arthritis.
More
girls
have
arthritis
than
boys.
More
children
suffer
from
arthritis
than
cystic
fibrosis
and
diabetes.
There
is
no
cure
but
medication
and
therapy
can
help
reduce
the
swelling
and
pain.
It
is
important
to
start
medication
and
therapy
as
soon
as
you
know
you
have
arthritis
before
your
joints
get
too
damaged.
Doctors
dont
know
what
causes
arthritis.
They
do
know
it
doesnt
run
in
the
family
and
its
not
contagious.
Since
I
was
first
told
that
I
had
arthritis,
the
joints
that
have
been
affected
are
both
knees,
both
wrists,
both
ankles
and
some
fingers.
I
have
taken
a
lot
of
medication
to
help
reduce
the
swelling
in
these
joints.
Although
medications
can
help
my
arthritis,
some
can
also
cause
problems
like
stomach
pain,
bone
pain,
slow
growth,
puffy
face,
fever,
weakness,
headaches,
kidney
problems
and
liver
problems.
Every
morning
and
night
I
have
to
do
stretching
exercises
to
help
my
joints
stay
strong
and
to
keep
them
moving.
Twice
a
week,
I
see
a
physiotherapist
who
does
stretching
exercises
with
me
in a
warm
pool.
The
warm
water
helps
my
joints
move
easier
and
feel
better.
Once
a
week,
I
take
swimming
lessons
to
help
my
joints.
I
also
have
seen
an
occupational
therapist
who
made
splints
for
my
knees
and
wrists.
I
had
to
wear
them
at
night
to
keep
my
joints
in a
good,
stretched-out
position.
Since
1994
to
July
2001,
I
had
to
live
with
a
lot
of
pain
and
stiffness.
Some
mornings
the
stiffness
lasted
about
one
to
two
hours.
I
was
too
sore
to
finish
a
game
of
baseball
or
curling,
which
I
like
to
play.
Also
my
ankles
would
hurt
when
I
stood
or
walked
for
a
short
time,
like
on
field
trips
and
playing
with
my
friends.
Since
I
started
a
new
treatment
in
July
2001,
most
of
the
pain
and
stiffness
has
disappeared.
Now
I
can
finish
baseball
and
curling
games,
walk
for
a
long
time
on
field
trips,
play
with
my
friends
without
resting
and
get
out
of
bed
without
stiffness.
I
know
this
drug
can
stop
working
at
any
time,
but
right
now
I
will
enjoy
being
very
close
to
pain-free.
Written
by:
Devin,
13
Hello
Karim;
I am
Jen
Hayes
sister
and
I
just
wanted
to
send
you
an
email
to
thank
you
for
all
that
you
are
doing
to
raise
awareness
for
Lupus.
Jen
has
been
living
with
this
forever
and
I am
so
happy
that
more
people
are
becoming
aware
of
this
disease.
Jen
was
always
sick
as a
child
and
they
just
kept
telling
my
parents
there
was
nothing
wrong
with
her.
Later
on
when
Jen
was
diagnosed
they
got
her
childhood
chart
where
it
actually
said
that
my
mum
was
neurotic
and
was
constantly
bringing
my
sister
to
the
doctor
for
"nothing"!!!!
Jen
is a
wonderful
woman
and
a
fabulous
sister
who
dedicates
most
of
her
time
to
bringing
awareness
to
Lupus
and
I am
so
happy
that
you
are
doing
the
same.
I am
so
sorry
to
hear
about
your
daughter
and
want
you
to
know
that
I
will
dedicate
as
much
time
as I
can
to
help
you.
Please
feel
free
to
let
me
know
whenever
you
need
my
help!
THANK
YOU
from
the
bottom
of
my
heart
and
soul
for
everything
that
you
are
doing!!!!!
It
means
the
world
to
me
and
my
family!!
Sincerely,
Christine
Hay
RE/MAX
Crest
Realty
(westside)
Tel:
604-732-1336
Fax:
604-264-7442
Cell:
604-715-5101
www.teamandruff.ca
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