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AB -The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, September 19, 2006 COMMUN\ITY Arthrltls slowly sneaks up on "t1s victims Sufferers, volunteers looking to raise awareness during Arthritis Month By Stephanie Thiessen CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF Tlie arnival of arîbritîs can't be pin- poinird exacth. ht sneaks up on its vtims ever 50so l untîl one das thes realîze îlsev canit do s-ipIe. everv- das taskýs. Jusi ask Andrea Rowboitom. In ber fortirs. Rowbottom began expert- enicing pain in ber hands \vhen she turrd doorknobs and startcd ber car. But it wasn't until sine was 50 and in thc bospît il aftr t fait thai Rowbotiom was dîagnosed %vith arihuitis. Thes idenît- fied that 1 had osteoporosîs and osteo-artbrîîîs in virtualîs everv joint.~ saîd Rowbottom. whos known around tow,%n as the organ- Andrea Rowbottomn izer of the annual On the Way to Bethlehem pageant ai Countrs Henitage Park. Weaning iwvo hand braces, a leg brace and ssalking witb a crutch. Ro\xshoîtcis 154, knows well the srveritv cof the dîsease - althougb shes the firsi to say there are mnanworsr off. \Vitb September beîng Aribritis Awarrness Monîh. the fiercels independent Rowbottom decîdrd bo do sometbîng she docsnît normally do - talk about the cnip- pling dîsease and the pain she endures on a regular hasts. Artbnitis tsn't generally wcll undersîood. and in order for peuple to be motîvaîrd îo gise money îoward research - canvassers for the Artbnitîs Society are collectîng dona- tions door to door thîs montb - tbey bas-e t0 first realize how debilitating tbe dtacase can bc, she saîd. -Research is buge. its su important," she said from ber living room. According toi the Artbnitîs Society, artbni- nis is an inflammation of the joints that con- sists of more than 100 differeni conditions ranging from relatively mîld forms of ten- GRAHAM PAINF / CANADiAN CHAMPION Instructor Claire Dynan-Ford leads the Monday morninoi therapeutic pool program at Milton Leisure Centre. Ideal for arthritis sufferers, the 45-minute aqua program is so popular a Monday evening class has been added. donitis to the morc crippling rhermatotd arîbitîs. ht causes severe joint pain and affects pro- ple of aIl ages. încludîng childrcn. Nobody knows svhat causes arthritis. xs-hich affects four million C anadians. Pain is somcetbing Rowbotiomrs well acquainird witb. Ilshe tres 10 turn a key in a lock, for example. she fîrst expenences a sharp pain that shoots up ber arm, she saîd. "As soion as that joli is over, ot aches and aches and aches untîl îî settles dowvn, she said. Rov.bottom îsn'î able to walk witboui a crutch. whicb she uses to belp hold herself up. Standing in one spot is dîffîcult. wbich makes even going to churcb difficuli, she said. Rowbottom was a teacher ai E.C. Drurys Sehool for the Deaf for more than 30 ),cars. She contînurd îeachîng for a while afier beîng dîagnosed, but rvenîually had to gîve iî up -My hands sîmply couldn't sign any- more," she said. Though îeachîng with arîbnîîis was a challenge, it was a positive experience for ber and the studenis, Rowboîîom said. Perfect communication is a real plus. but to learn patience and understanding is a real lesson ioo.- she said. As someone who doesnit fînd îî easy to ask for help. living with arîhnîîis is hum- hlîng, Rowbottomn said. Tasks she once took for granted are now a dailv source of frustration, "One îbîng thaïs realîs lrusirating is usîng the htîre lnîerac key pads.' she said, adding she sometîmes nerds hclp zippîng up ber coat. Although there are effective medications for arthntis, Rowboîîom hasn't had much luck vNith îhem. since îhrv conflîci vtith other medications shes îakîing for addiional healîh problemns. Audrea Lear-Costîgan, chair of ihe Milton Arîhnîîis Society, saîd the face of arthntis ta changing. "Years ago, îî used to be è1derly people- 65 and up (suffening from artbritîs). That isn't the case nowM she said, explaînîngjuve- nîie artbnîîis is rampant. The Artbnitis Societsy raîses monev for research and trraîment, and runs a number of educational initiatives to make people more awarr of whaî artbnîîis ta and how it can be treaird. Tbis y-car, the Artbritis Society is encour- aging the public to take part il ils Lifesivîr Makcos er Challenge, a program designed to inform people living with osteo-arthntis and those who are at nisk about the ways to pre- vent disability; reduce the chance of devel- oping osteo-arthritis, and minimize its impact on das -to-day 11fr. This is donc by adopting a healthy and active lîfestyle îhrough healthier food choic- es and making exercise part of a daily rou- tine. .According to the Arthrîtîs Society, moder- aie activits reduces dîsabiliîy caused by sorne forms of artbritis. Also. losîng 10 pounds translates 10 a decrease in stress on the knees bs 40 pounds. One exercîse manv people wvitb arthnitis have found t0 be helpful are aquafît pro- gramis, in whicb exercîses arr dune in warrn water. -Warrnr water and the special exercis- es - the combination of the îwo gîve certain relief," Lear-Costigan saîd. Aquafit classes are offered ai the Milton Leisure Centre. To take part in the Lifestyle Makeover Challenge, caîl the Arthnu.is Society ai 1- 800-321-1433 or visit www,%,ýarthnitis.califestyle. Stephanhe Thiessen cori be reached ait si hies seniu)m i fi oncaîiadianc hamp ion. com. ru,-"fCQGECO' Cogeco Cable Channel 14 Programming Schedule - Tuesday, September 19 - Monday, September25, 2006 lhil Localeeiso a-IkBwmW 00tMe- )3p, Doa 5p >tDe. -MR ýYA DDp- 1 D!ge ;--4 Ya - CMý; -Jý O3ý p<- C'4 www.cogeco.ca CMo 11k 5D-k 'Znn NORTH HALTON STUDIO slSpm Aai~ideE M(ied) 136M Hahnki Coandi 1i009m 4 p PIUM EIra « D'à-i ipaliOiL 9)pi liii s ioîm & tmft e l Prh - i g Ui m e IE 4:111m -VC 5=-an 55 500 Laurier Avenue Milton, ON L9T 4R3 905-878-9306 =