Keira Karalus
Systemic Juvenile
Idiopathic Arthritis
Youth Honoree
 Keira was born in 2020 and has always been full of life, but in April of 2023, after 20+ days of a fever, pain in her legs/limping, 2 hospital stays, and many diagnostic tests, things had changed. Just before Keira’s 3rd birthday, it was confirmed she had systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Her treatment began with steroids and daily injections, and eventually led to additional injections every 4 weeks. She is now in medicated remission and enjoying life as a 3 year old full of spunk, singing to Alicia Keys and Taylor Swift whenever possible, playing with her brother Samuel, and loving ballet and swim classes.
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Miruna Carnaru is a Rheumatologist at Hartford HealthCare’s Bone and Joint Institute. She studied at SUNY Upstate Medical University, completed residency training in internal medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and rheumatology fellowship and Master of Health Science at Yale School of Medicine. Miruna has always been drawn to the art of medicine where learning the science is only the beginning; applying the science to each individual patient’s unique symptoms, genetic makeup, and personal environment is what makes it both challenging and fulfilling. One of the most rewarding aspects of rheumatology care as a whole and arthritis care specifically is the ability to truly improve patients’ quality of life. Miruna is proud to have this honor and help raise funding toward arthritis remission and cure.
Mary Rudzis-Scaramella is a Connecticut native and Southern Connecticut State University alumni, class of 2018. After receiving a seronegative rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis in January 2022, she knew she wanted to get involved with the community, particularly other young people with disabilities that include arthritis. Her first involvement with the Arthritis Foundation was at the 2023 Walk to Cure Arthritis, and she recently started a local young professionals Live Yes! Connect Group.