Lila Zemil is a 17-year-old student living in Baltimore, Maryland. Lila never let her arthritis stop her from pursuing her goals, but she had to learn a lot along the way. As a toddler, Lila was very active and loved to jump rope and play tag. However, at age 3, her right knee became stiff and swollen as large as a grapefruit. She was afraid and didn’t understand what was happening; she struggled to walk let alone run and play.
After X-rays, MRIs, and blood tests, Lila was finally referred to a pediatric rheumatologist who correctly diagnosed her with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JA). “Arthritis” wasn’t in her vocabulary, she didn’t understand. The confusion continued, and so did the shots, the blood tests, and the appointments. However, in 2012 her arthritis went into remission. Woo hoo! Six years later; however, the swelling and pain returned. Lila questioned everything. Did she run too much? Had she overworked her body? Although she was concerned with her onset of arthritis, Lila became more mindful about her health. After working on a local, organic farm, she made it her mission to spread awareness and advocate about living a healthy lifestyle through eating well and exercise. Lila lives with arthritis, but arthritis doesn’t define her.
She is the young adult honoree for this year’s Jingle Bell Run - Baltimore. Lila hopes that sharing her story will inspire you to join her. Lila is dedicated to raising awareness that kids get arthritis too, and funds are necessary for research to find a cure. Please join her on Saturday, December 7 at the 2019 Jingle Bell Run in Baltimore, Maryland at Rash Field by the Inner Harbor so that together the community can raise money for the Arthritis Foundation!
To support Lila or join her team please click here!
Wilson N. Trueheart Jr. has been an avid runner and road racer for over 30 years. As a regular age-group winner, he strives to inspire others. He earned the most improved runner award From the Baltimore Road Runners Club in 1998. Wilson has raced every distance from 200 meters to 26. 2 miles.
He has also competed in the Maryland Senior Olympics. His race times have been fast enough to qualify for the National Senior Games. He has been living with osteoarthritis for over 20 years. Wilson lives a very active in spite of arthritis. He combats the illness with regular exercise and medication.
His other passion is writing poems and essays. Most of them are about running and racing. At 70, he is still at it. He runs 5 to 6 days a week and works out at a health club. Wilson obtained a Master of Science degree from Morgan State University. He retired from the Social Security Administration after 38 years of service. This active senior is married with one adult son.
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