Laura Cappelli, MD, MHS, MS
John Hopkins Arthritis Center
Medical Honoree

Dr. Laura Cappelli grew up in Michigan but found her way east for college at the University of Pennsylvania. She completed her medical training and earned a master's in clinical investigation at Johns Hopkins, where she’s now a faculty member at the Arthritis Center. Dr. Cappelli is passionate about caring for patients with inflammatory arthritis, particularly those facing challenges during cancer treatment. Her research focuses on arthritis caused by cancer immunotherapy and RA.

Since 2021, Dr. Cappelli has been involved with the Foundation’s RA Working Group, helping advance research in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of RA. Outside of work, she’s part of a close-knit running community, mostly made up of other female physicians.  

Mackenzie Kirkpatrick
Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Youth Honoree

Mackenzie is an active 11-year-old. She can often be found on a soccer pitch, ski slopes, lacrosse field, running, or hanging out with friends. When she has downtime, she enjoys curling up with a good book.

At 18 months old Mackenzie began to have difficulty walking and was soon diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), affecting 22 joints, and later Uveitis. Treatment options have helped keep her comfortable as she continues to battle these conditions.

Mackenzie is deeply grateful for the love and support from family, friends, her doctors, and organizations like the Arthritis Foundation, which are making strides toward finding a cure for arthritis.