2021 Walk to Cure Arthritis Honorees

 

Wayne Fraleigh
Mercy Health
Corporate Honoree

Wayne currently serves as the Vice President of Orthopaedic and Neuroscience Service Line at Mercy Health. Wayne has a proven track record of improving operational efficiencies, leadership development, business growth, customer service, and quality. Wayne and his wife live in Loveland with their two children.


Magdalena Winiarska, MD
St. Elizabeth Physicians
Medical Honoree

Magdalena Winiarska, MD is a Board-Certified Rheumatologist with St. Elizabeth Physicians; Dr. Winiarska completed her medical education at the Medical University of Lublin, in Lublin, Poland. Dr. Winiarska then completed her residency at Jewish Hospital of Cincinnati and her fellowship at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Winiarska is fluent in both English and Polish and specializes in autoimmune diseases, connective tissue disorders, vasculitis, rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, among other conditions. Dr. Winiarska is an expert in the rheumatological treatment and has helped many patients achieve remission through several different treatment options. Dr. Winiarska will review and discuss various types of arthritis along with their symptoms and treatment options.


Allison Rao, MD
Christ Hospital Joint & Spine Center
Medical Honoree

Dr. Rao is bringing cutting edge sports medicine techniques to our Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky communities and will be an instrumental part of providing exceptional care to all patients, including a focus on women with sports injuries. Dr. Rao is an orthopedic surgeon at the Christ Hospital Joint & Spine Center who specializes in sports medicine and shoulder surgery with an emphasis on innovative, arthroscopic procedures and complex, open surgeries of the shoulder, elbow, and knee.


Chad West
Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis
Adult Honoree

Chad West is 35 years old and has seronegative rheumatoid arthritis. Chad’s symptoms began in 2015 while he was serving as a medic in the US Army. He started experiencing swelling and a decreased range of motion in his right knee and left elbow. Chad’s hopes you will join us and help raise much needed funds for arthritis.

To support Chad and his team, West Family, click here.


Fiona Watson
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Adult Honoree

Fiona Watson is 27 years old and has rheumatoid arthritis. Fiona was diagnosed at age 22 while she was a university student in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. After her diagnosis, Fiona moved to Cincinnati, Ohio to live closer to her parents and be a patient at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. While being a patient, Fiona started nursing school at the University of Cincinnati and is now a Registered Nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Fiona is very passionate about being a role model for all individuals affected by arthritis, and she hopes she can help the Arthritis Foundation reach their goals in any way she can.


Morgan Meyers
Enteropathic Arthritis
Adult Honoree

Morgan is 33 years old and has Enteropathic Arthritis. Her symptoms began around age 26 after being diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. Morgan managed to get her symptoms under control for a number of years. After having her daughter in 2019 and breastfeeding for a year, symptoms came back worse than ever. She has finally gotten her symptoms under control, just in time for baby number 2 coming this winter. Morgan hopes to make people aware that there are many types of arthritis and it affects people of any age.

To support Morgan and her team - Step CG, please visit her fundraising page today!


Hannah Hart
Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Young Adult Honoree

Hannah is 18 years old and a student at the University of Cincinnati. She was diagnosed at age 16 with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, after three years of suffering through jaw pain and other symptoms. Hannah struggles to eat foods she used to, and during flare ups, has trouble doing everyday activities. Hannah offers some words of wisdom for people just diagnosed – take every day one day at a time and keep track of your pain levels and symptoms, you never know what could be a sign of a flare-up.

To support Hannah and her team, HARThritis – A Joint Effort, click here.