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2022 Walk to Cure Arthritis Honorees

 

Chris Douglas
River Oaks Hospital & Clinics
Corporate Honoree


Our Corporate Champion, Dr. Christopher Douglas, is the Chief Executive Officer of River Oaks Hospital & Clinics, a 155,000 square foot general acute care hospital which he helped start from the ground up. He mentors and advises many college students and venture founders in the healthcare industry and is a board member of the Houston Texans YMCA, the Arthritis Foundation, and the Bloom Academy of Houston. Dr. Douglas has been a board member of the Arthritis Foundation since 2020 and is a major advocate for people living with arthritis in Houston.

 

Anay R. Patel, M.D.
Texas Orthopedic Hospital
Medical Honoree


Anay R. Patel, M.D., is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee replacement. He provides expert care to his patients by using the lasted treatments and minimally invasive techniques to speed recovery.

Dr. Patel graduated from Duke University in 2005 and from the Ohio State University College of Medicine in 2009. He completed his residency at Northwestern Unversity, where he worked with pioneers of joint replacement fostering his interest in joint replacement.

Dr. Patel instructs trainees and fellow surgeons at Texas Orthopedic Hospital and in his free time he enjoys golf, trying new restaurants, traveling, and reading.

 

Misha Gabriel
Rheumatoid Arthritis &
Sjögren’s Syndrome
Adult Honoree


Misha Gabriel was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren’s Syndrome 10 years ago. As a child, she enjoyed the company and laughter of her grandmother Maggie, and she loved to walk each day to the corner store where Maggie would buy her candy. Her grandmother always had a smile on her face, but Misha knew she was in pain because she suffered from arthritis. Thanks to advances in medicine, research, and scientific discoveries funded by the Arthritis Foundation, Misha, like her grandmother, can walk with a smile on her face, but in much less pain.

Join or support Misha and her team, Let's RAaak This!!!, on her personal fundraising page.

Jessie Riojas
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
Youth Honoree


Eight-year-old Jessie Riojas has always been a happy, active child who swam at 18 months and began gymnastics at 2 years old. When Jessie was 3, her parents noticed her right knee was swollen and she began having trouble getting out of bed and walking down the hallway. After weeks of doctor appointments, exams, tests, and labs, Jessie was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Jessie takes several medications to control her arthritis but has never let the disease stop her or get her down. She still swims, does gymnastics, and plays a mean guitar. She is a true Arthritis Warrior!

Read Jesse’s full story and support her walk team, Jessie’s Journey, on her team fundraising page

 

Mallory Stubbs
Canine Honoree


Mallory, a 10-year-old English Cream Golden Retriever, loves to run and fetch balls but her favorite activity is naptime. As she has aged, her human, Kristen Stubbs, Arthritis Foundation Executive Director, has noticed that while she hasn’t slowed down (she’s still the fastest dog at the dog park), because of arthritis in some of her joints she isn’t able to recover from a hard day’s playtime as quickly as before. Mallory has no intention of slacking off so she takes supplements to help ease her arthritis symptoms. She’s excited about the walk and may even challenge you to a race!

Join or support Mallory and her team, Mallory's Paws, on her personal fundraising page.