Peyton Domers Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Youth Honoree Like most 8-year-olds, Peyton Domers enjoys being active with her friends, playing with her dog, and being outdoors. From the outside, you would not be able to tell that Peyton has arthritis, the nation’s leading cause of disability. At age 2, after what seemed like a normal toddler fall, Peyton’s knee swelled and suddenly she couldn’t walk. Concerned, Peyton’s parents Nikki and Craig Domers took her to the emergency room, but the doctors could not find anything wrong. After subsequent visits, they were directed to see a rheumatologist. At the appointment, Peyton was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). “We were scared,” said Nikki. “We had no idea that kids could get arthritis, too. We did a lot of research on the disease and its progression and treatment options. When Peyton was old enough to start asking questions about all the medications and why, we were finally able to explain the arthritis to her.” In the years that followed, Peyton has been on several different types of biologic medications to manage her arthritis. One of the medications made her terribly sick and induced fevers regularly, another burned so badly when injected that it became a battle for Nikki and Craig to give it to her. For the past two years, Peyton has been on a medication that is finally working with minimal side effects. She also adjusted her diet to help reduce inflammation. “Sometimes I can’t walk because it hurts too much,” said Peyton. “I can’t go to school when that happens. When I run or play too much, my arthritis makes my legs and heels hurt.” Despite the pain, Peyton tries not to let the arthritis slow her down. In November 2018, she ran in the cross-country Race of America in Kentucky and placed third for girls. She’s determined to keep running and beat arthritis. Through Peyton’s diagnosis, the Domers were introduced to the Arthritis Foundation and been active volunteers with the organization ever since. As a family, they have been part of the Arthritis Foundation’s advocacy efforts on both the state and federal level for several years. “We’re proud to be part of recent legislation that was passed into law enhancing patient access to medication,” said Nikki. “We fight alongside the Arthritis Foundation to protect our daughter and other patients.” “My hope for other kids with arthritis is that they can hear my story and know they aren’t alone,” said Peyton. “I hope they fight their arthritis like me by taking the medication, staying strong and being active by running and playing!” To join or donate to Peyton’s Walk to Cure Arthritis team, Peyton’s Porcupines, click here. |
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