Jodie Shea
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Adult Honoree
 Jodie Shea is 24 years old. She was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age 17 during her first month of college at UMass Amherst.
Rheumatoid Arthritis has changed her entire life. During her college years, she was very sick. She was down to 79 pounds, having to use a wheelchair for mobility, spiking high fevers, and just in so much pain all the time. She had to learn how to use her “new body” to the best of her abilities. She had to learn to be kind to herself and listen when her body just needed a break. She will never forget the times she had to genuinely think about how exactly she was going to get out of bed in the morning, not because she was tired, but because her entire body was radiating pain. This new life included always having to think about these “simple” things she never really thought about before. With all those challenges she was facing, she was still able to graduate on time. She believes it was possible thanks to the strong support system that surrounds her. In her opinion, she has the world’s greatest friends and family. In the 7 years she has been battling Rheumatoid Arthritis, she has learned so much about herself as well as the disease. These years have been difficult physically, emotionally, and spiritually. With the help of her doctors and new medications, she has been able to live independently and accomplish so much more than she ever thought possible. Her life with rheumatoid arthritis still consists of weekly injections and pain. It also consists of participating in physical activity, working full time at Boston Children’s Hospital as a research coordinator working on projects for children with Cerebral Palsy, and working on her application for medical school. She is very passionate about providing education to everyone about what it is like to live with chronic disease, to be reliant on the health care system for the remainder of her life, and to show people what people with autoimmune arthritis can do. |
Dr. Son attended the University of Massachusetts Medical School and then completed internship, residency and chief residency in pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH), followed by fellowship in pediatric rheumatology at BCH. She is the Director of Pediatric Rheumatology at BCH, where she purses clinical research and provides clinical care on the outpatient and inpatient services. She has been an active member of the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA), particularly with the CARRA Registry as a member of the Registry Operations Committee.
Oliver was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis at 15 months old. At this time there were some mornings he could not walk to due to pain and most days he preferred to be held instead of moving on his own. Since starting treatment, Oliver has returned to the happy, independent child we know he is. He loves playing with his train set, challenging his friends and parents to running races, cooking oatmeal in his kitchenette, and being a “silly guy”. He stays active in his weekly gymnastics class, and loves to give shots to Mommy and Daddy after his weekly injections. Despite the challenges arthritis brings, Oliver continues to light up the lives of those around him with his charisma and sense of humor. Oliver’s parents are committed to raising awareness for juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and building a community for Oliver to learn from as he grows.
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