Born in India, Dr. Sunita Penmatcha moved to Canada as a teenager and completed undergraduate studies at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada before attending University of Toronto for medical school. After earning her medical degree in 1996, Dr. Penmatcha completed two years of internal medicine training at the McGaw Medical Center, Northwestern University in Chicago before completing her Internal Medicine training at University of Iowa in 1999. She then practiced general internal medicine in the Quad Cities both in the private setting and the VA Medical Center in Bettendorf until 2006. However, after completing a fellowship in rheumatology at the University of Iowa Hospitals in 2008, she is now board certified in rheumatology, her main area of practice.
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Caelyn Blair, now a happy 9 year old that loves to laugh, was suddenly unable to move her neck at only 15 months…the doctors feared meningitis. She stopped walking, talking, and would sit very still because she was afraid to move due to her pain. After multiple hospital admissions, CT scans and other tests, Caelyn was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis in her spine at the C1 and C2 level. At the age of 3 it was determined that Caelyn had developed cervical instability due to her arthritis and she had to wear a cervical collar during high risk times and avoid contact sports, roller coasters and horseback riding. In addition to her juvenile arthritis, Caelyn has also been diagnosed with palmaplanter keratoderma, dermatographia, and hearing loss. Over the summer she was diagnosed with Henoch-Schonlein purpura, a form of vasculitis, and is undergoing treatment for that condition.
Now in 4th grade, Caelyn is now celebrating her remission! After five years of Orencia infusions, she does not take medications for arthritis. Regardless of her health conditions, you will often find Caelyn outside playing basketball, softball or practicing her violin. She enjoys educating others on her arthritis and making new friends. She hopes to play basketball in college.
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