An Iowa native and graduate of Des Moines University, Mark Isaacson, D.O., completed his orthopaedic residency at Ohio University and his fellowship training in adult reconstruction at Houston Methodist Hospital at Texas Medical Center. Joining Des Moines Orthopaedic Surgeons in 2015, Dr. Isaacson specializes in total knee and hip arthroplasty, partial knee arthroplasty, complex revision knee and hip arthroplasty, minimally invasive direct anterior hip replacement, knee and shoulder arthroscopy, adult and pediatric fracture care, sports-related injury management and workers compensation injuries.
An accomplished surgeon, Dr. Isaacson is a member of several professional organizations including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, the American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics and the American Osteopathic Association.
Outside of seeing patients, Dr. Isaacson enjoys living an active lifestyle. He enjoys running, golf, outdoor activities, being involved in community school and church programs, and above all, spending time with his family.
Join Dr. Isaacson in the fight against arthritis, register or donate today!
Playing sports was a big part of Sydney’s life during school, including soccer, softball, basketball and swimming. She excelled in competitive swimming in high school, but during her senior year she began experiencing severe pains in her ankles, feet, wrists and fingers. She had difficulty doing basic things like getting dressed, brushing her teeth, eating, getting out of the car and walking. Her family assumed it was due to the numerous hours of swimming and weightlifting every day, but after a doctor’s visit she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.
Sydney did not let rheumatoid arthritis impact her swimming career. She swam for four years at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, a Division I college, despite many difficulties. Due to the medicines she took along with the biologic, her immune system was weak and she experienced countless issues: bursitis, a jaw infection, eye infections, two finger infections both requiring surgeries, numerous nodules on her extremities and vocal cords, numerous cysts, three foot fractures and the list goes on. There were days she could barely get out of bed, but she did. She wanted to show herself that rheumatoid arthritis would not take swimming or anything else away from her. Her teammates understood her situation and supported her even though she wasn’t performing where she needed to be.
With her fighting spirit, Sydney graduated college with a degree in Journalism and Media and is currently a video producer/editor for Trilix in Des Moines. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga and cycling. Currently in remission, Sydney decided to raise more awareness regarding this debilitating disease and participated in the Jingle Bell Run in 2018 and plans to continue to do so each year.
Join Sydney in her fight against arthritis, register or donate today!
Tori Baker loves show choir. You would never know by watching her perform that this 14-year-old from Dallas Center, Iowa has polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Tori was diagnosed with JIA at age 2, but that has never let it stop her from accomplishing anything. An excellent student and an avid reader and writer, Tori is currently a freshman at Dallas-Center Grimes.
Tori’s journey with arthritis, like many, was a long and frustrating one. One joint in a finger of a 16-month-old was how it all began. After numerous, “let’s wait and see what happens” and lots of mysterious high fevers, a geriatric physician and family friend finally confirmed suspicions of arthritis. A scary, new world of unknowns for Tori and her family led them to pediatric rheumatologists at the University of Iowa.
Tori’s treatment over the past 12 years has included weekly injections, daily pain meds, immunosuppressants, infusions and numerous joint injections. Now, she has been in remission for nearly three years.
Tori is happy to share her story to raise awareness and help mentor younger kids with this debilitating disease. Over the years, Tori has been an Arthritis Foundation honoree, participated in several Walk to Cure Arthritis events and took a trip to Washington, D.C. where she shared her story to members of Congress. Through her awareness efforts, her JA team, Tori’s Troopers, has raised close to $10,000 to help find a cure.
Tori wants to be an example and spread hope to others struggling with this disease, proving that it doesn’t have to define them and that remission is possible.
Join Tori in her fight against arthritis, register or donate today!
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