2021 Jingle Bell Run Honorees

 

Samantha Meiskin Rheumatoid Arthritis Young Adult Honoree Samantha's journey with arthritis has been a roller coaster throughout her life. After first being diagnosed in 2011 with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, then going into remission in 2016. Then in 2019, she began experiencing more pain than she ever had in her joints, and was given the final diagnosis of adult rheumatoid arthritis. Sam began raising awareness for America’s #1 disease, becoming an ambassador and volunteer for the Arthritis Foundation. She was elected as Vice President of Philanthropy for her sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi at Towson University, whose national philanthropy is with the Arthritis Foundation. Sam's goal is to continue to raise awareness for all forms of arthritis, educating people of all ages and working to find a cure! She is so excited to run and volunteer at this year's Jingle Bell Run with her friends, family, and her sorority sisters, along with the amazing community around her!

 

Bede Marciari Juvenile Psoriatic Arthritis Youth Honoree Bede Marciari, in March of 2017 became really sick with what would be diagnosed as Juvenile Psoriatic Arthritis. She had to take a medical leave from school, where she spent the next three years trying to recover from my extreme flair up where she lost all muscle mass. In September of 2019, she found a medicine that put her into remission, and in May of 2020, got a double hip replacement since her hips were too far gone to be saved by any medicine. She has been a part of the Arthritis Foundation and its commitment to fundraising and awareness since the Jingle Bell Run in 2017. Although she has been able to live pretty normally, Bede says “I am still disabled and will always will be.” She wants to continue to raise awareness for Arthritis and the invisible illnesses. She states “The world is not handicap accessible and there is no cure for my disease, or other forms of arthritis.”