William K. Kesto, MD
Medical Honoree

William K. Kesto, MD is a board certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic sports surgeon. He specializes in advanced shoulder and elbow surgery, knee ligament reconstruction and joint replacement, hip arthroscopy, knee cartilage restoration and meniscus transplantation, malalignment correction including osteotomies of the femur and tibia, and patellofemoral disorders. He is experienced in the field of robotic joint replacement, featuring Mako Robotic-Arm Technology and regenerative medicine, featuring Lipogems and Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections. He serves as the Team Physician for Walled Lake Central High School.

Dr. Kesto completed a fellowship in sports medicine at Cincinnati Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center with Dr. Frank Noyes in Ohio. Prior to his fellowship, Dr. Kesto completed is residency at Detroit Medical Center and St. John Providence Hospital, where he served as the Chief Administrative Resident. He received his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine. Prior to pursuing medicine, Dr. Kesto obtained his master’s degree from Georgetown University and his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan.

Dr. Kesto remains active in research and has completed papers and presentations. He is a members of the American Medical Association, Michigan State Medical Society and the Arthroscopy Association of North America. He is fluent in Aramaic/Chaldean and Arabic.

Join Dr. Kesto in the fight against arthritis, register or donate today!

Lincoln Tulik
Juvenile Arthritis
Youth Honoree

Lincoln Tulik was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis (JA) when he was nine years old. He was in a lot of pain and one day he could barely walk because his knee hurt so much. In September 2019, arthritis has spread to his knees, jaw, lower back, ankles and fingers. Over the last year and a half, he has undergone multiple doctors appointments, x-rays, MRI's, blood work, and several different types of medication. He has been getting shots of different medications at home for over a year with all of them failing. Lincoln started I.V. infusion hoping this will be the one medication that relieves his pain, stops it from spreading to another joint and send him into remission. He experienced his first flare-up, which kept him home, in bed miserable and every bone in his body hurt this past spring. One thing his parents always tell him is that the hardest battles are given to the toughest warriors. Arthritis hasn't stopped him it's growing him into the best version of himself. Lincoln is the definition of perseverance, he gets up and gives it his all every single day from getting straight A's and receiving a Presidential award for his education, citizenship award, volunteered for L.I.N.KS (helps other students with disabilities) plays baseball and enjoys cub scouts. He loves larger than life and tries everything he can.

Since day one, the Arthritis Foundation has stepped up and offered support. They gave him the opportunity to go to Camp Dakota, a camp for kids with arthritis. The camp gave him a chance to meet kids who face similar challenges while doing super fun activities. He also learned how to manage and cope with arthritis. Another of his favorite events is the Jingle Bell Run. He participated for the first time last year and raised more than $5,000 for the Arthritis Foundation. He says YES to the Jingle Bell Run to raise awareness that arthritis can happen at any age.

The Arthritis Foundation has provided Lincoln and his family with support, information, and opportunities – he and his family are very grateful. You should Say YES to the Jingle Bell Run because it changes lives, especially for kids like Lincoln.

Join Lincoln in his fight against arthritis, register or donate today!

Michele Silvestri
Adult Honoree

Michele Silvestri is the Global Chief Design Director at WPP’s GTB. An agency driven to ‘make what matters’ for people, and for business. At GTB, Michele is the evangelist for the Ford brand integrating Design into the process to deliver brand differentiation.  

Her inspirational leadership style and passion to ignite positive change makes her a strong force, mentor and advocate within the agency, community and beyond.  She is a frequent speaker, panelist and juror and was named one of Graphic Design USA’s “People to Watch” in 2013.

Outside the office, she has served consecutive terms on the AIGA Professional Association for Design Detroit Executive Board, is a contributing writer for Sharpheels.com, and is the Vice-Chair for the Arthritis Foundation Detroit Local Leadership Board.

As someone who suffers with Arthritis, Fibromyalgia and Reynaud's Syndrome as symptoms of Lupus, she knows firsthand how challenging it can be. Witnessing her mom's struggle with Rheumatoid Arthritis, and that of friends and family, she’s also seen how debilitating it can be, and how important the work is that the foundation is doing.

Michele was diagnosed in her late-twenties, when she started having strange, painful symptoms and was beyond exhausted and fatigued. She went from being an active, life-loving, volleyball playing, kickboxing instructing, Tae-kwon-do-kicking, designer, to someone who couldn’t move without pain. She has approached her disease by controlling what she can and accepting what she cannot and has learned to be grateful for the good days and the not so good days.

She sees her ability to advocate for the foundation as a privilege to pay her experience forward. Her disease makes her stronger. More empathetic. And drives her to say “yes” to every aspect of her life. She is grateful to say “yes” to the foundation to raise awareness and funds for this important cause and for the millions of people who suffer every day. Her passion to live life to its fullest is only overshadowed by her passion for being a mom to the coolest boy on the planet.