David D. Spence, M.D.
Corporate Co-Chair

Dr. David Spence is grateful to be this year’s Jingle Bell Run Medical Honoree.
“The Arthritis Foundation continues to address the needs of people living with arthritis including many of my patients and even family members.  Unfortunately, my mother-in-law passed away earlier this year from complications related to rheumatoid arthritis, and so this year more than any, I feel called to continue to strive for better care, awareness, and support for those suffering from arthritis conditions.”

Dr. Spence is an Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics at the University of Tennessee-Campbell Clinic, in Memphis, Tennessee. His clinical interests include pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, adult and pediatric hip preservation, and neuromuscular disorders.

A native of Memphis, David graduated from Memphis University School and attended the University of Tennessee. He completed his medical degree at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Memphis and did his residency at the University of Tennessee-Campbell Clinic Department of Orthopaedics. He went on to complete a Pediatric Orthopaedic Fellowship at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts.

Dr. Spence is an active member of numerous professional organizations including the Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America, and is a founder of CORTICES, which is an international collaboration of pediatric orthopedic surgeons dedicated to improving the quality, safety, and value of in the management of emergent orthopedic conditions.

Active in the community as well, Dr. Spence and his wife, Brittany founded the Forrest Spence Fund in 2007 to meet the non-medical needs of critically and chronically ill children and their families across the Mid-South.

Dr. Spence and his wife, Brittany, have 4 children, Forrest (deceased), Austin (11), Miller (9), and Maggie (6).

To join David, or donate to his team, you can visit his team page Friends of Linda.

Dupree McDonald
Corporate Co-Chair

Dupree McDonald is thrilled to be the co-chair of the Jingle Bell Run.  Dupree, along with her husband Will got involved with the Arthritis Foundation after their son was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis in 2008 when he was just nine months old.  Their son, Trey was the youth honoree for the 2018 Jingle Bell Run.

Through over ten years living with this disease, Trey has had multiple joint injections, a five-night hospital stay from complications of a joint injection, physical therapy, injectable medications, oral medications, countless doctors appointments, and joint pain and stiffness.  He bravely endures the pain and stiffness while he enjoys going to school and church, playing sports and piano, reading, and being with his family and friends.

Money raised through events like the Jingle Bell Run can, do, and will have an impact for children and adults living with arthritis. When Trey was first diagnosed his doctor had two to three medications that she was prescribing to patients with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. Research has doubled to tripled the number of medications available for him. Money raised fuels research that in turn leads to more and better treatments and an eventual cure for arthritis!

To join Dupree, or donate to her team, you can visit her team page Trey's Gingerbread Joggers.

Jennifer Hobson
Corporate Co-Chair

Jennifer majored in Economics and graduated from The University of Mississippi with a business degree in 1999. She holds a Law Degree from The University of Memphis (2004), where she graduated salutatorian and is a licensed, but non-practicing attorney. She practiced law at Evans and Petree and served as an adjunct professor at The University of Memphis School of Law. She is currently Vice President of Hobson Realtors, where she sells residential real estate with her husband of 15 years, Joel Hobson. Hobson Realtors has 61 agents and is one of the top residential real estate firms in Memphis. Jennifer is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Club at the Realtor Association, where she serves on the Board of Governors, and they sold over $25 million in residential real estate sales in 2018. She is an active member of the Chairman’s Circle at The Greater Memphis Chamber. 

Jennifer has served on the Board of Directors for the Arthritis Foundation and March of Dimes and has served as Co-Chair of Regional One Night to Remember Gala, raising close to $800,000 for Regional One.  Most of her volunteer efforts are focused on working with young children in the Orange Mound Community as a volunteer at Hanley Elementary. She and Joel have 2 young sons, Joel IV and Graydon.

To join Jennifer, or donate to her team, you can visit her team page Terry and the Hobson Holly Jollies.

Grace Plunkett Glotzbach
Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Youth Honoree

Grace Plunkett Glotzbach was born September 17, 2015. She has been happy and vibrant since birth, always trying to make people smile or laugh.

In July 2018, a few months before her third birthday, Grace started complaining of knee pain. She quickly went from waking up with a limp to not walking. Luckily, her pediatrician quickly suspected Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and ordered lab work. Within a few weeks she was formally diagnosed with JIA and found to be ANA positive, which requires regular eye exams.

Grace has always been incredibly tough and resilient, which has served her well as we ride the JIA rollercoaster. In the year since her diagnosis she has had two joint injections, a countless amount of blood work and weekly injections of methotrexate. Fortunately, she hasn’t let arthritis or the side effects of the medications slow her down. She loves to chase her older brother around the house and play dress up.

To join Grace, or donate to her team, you can visit her team page Grace's Elves.

Samantha Paul
Enthesitis Juvenile Arthritis
Young Adult Honoree

Samantha Paul is a 17 year old high school senior at Houston High School in Germantown, TN. She was diagnosed with enthesitis related juvenile arthritis at the age of 14, but began having symptoms when she was 11 years old. She started having pain in her foot, and after realizing that her jaw pain wasn’t caused by her braces, her family sought out more answers. Samantha travels to Birmingham, Alabama for her treatment, and though her family was grateful for a diagnosis, they didn’t know how involved and difficult it would be to find the right treatment. Arthritis changed Samantha’s perspective on life and those around her. In a matter of months, she went from being able to do everything an average teen would do, to being physically limited and in constant pain. Before arthritis, Samantha did musical theater, worked out and loved to sing. She had to stop all of that for a year because it caused her too much pain. Once her pain was managed, Samantha came to have anew found love and understanding for not only theater but for everyday things like waking up in the morning and going to school. Though there were times when Samantha felt like she couldn’t do it anymore, she continued to do what she loved. Fortunately, due to medication. Samantha’s arthritis is now being managed.  Unfortunately, however, the arthritis in her jaw caused permanent damage before the medication got it under control.  As a result, Samantha is preparing for jaw reconstruction surgery in the spring of next year.

Samantha is thrilled to be the 2019 Young Adult Honoree at the Memphis Jingle Bell Run because she wants a cure for those with arthritis. She doesn’t want other kids to have to suffer and have their childhood taken from them like she did. The Jingle Bell Run will help better the lives of those with arthritis and educate individuals. Samantha hopes everyone will participate in the Jingle Bell Run to raise money and awareness for this life altering disease. The Jingle Bell Run is such a fun event and for such a great cause. She hopes to see everyone there!

To join Samantha, or donate to her team, you can visit her team page Samantha's Reindeer Runners.