My team
My Story…
We can ease challenges for others by taking on challenges ourselves. By challenging myself to a 21K race, I aim to help ease the challenge of Juvenile Arthritis for the 25,000 children across Canada experiencing this disease. Please help me do this by donating!
For the past 18 years, Cassie + Friends has been fighting for a pain-free future for kids with Juvenile Arthritis and other pediatric rheumatic diseases. They have created a community for so many families and youth, developed highly informative educational materials that give families reassurance, medical guidance, and some hope for an easier future, and they are working with groundbreaking genetic researchers to finally find a cure for these currently incurable diseases.
One of the many unique things about Cassie + Friends that I love is its focus on empowerment as opposed to victimhood. Cassie + Friends encourages children and youth to see their rheumatic disease as a thing that they deal with rather than an all-defining limitation. Cassie + Friends does not see value in hosting an endless pity party where youth wallow and lament about the unfairness of having this disease. Instead, Cassie + Friends encourages an acknowledgement and discussion of these hardships and then helps youth figure out how they can take control of their life and succeed. They do this through truly meaningful mentorship and leadership opportunities, which I have been a part of and have greatly grown from. The focus at Cassie + Friends is on what we can do to solve issues that children and youth experience. This focus promotes a forward-thinking mindset that, in turn, helps achieve a healthier mental health state. Simply put, negative thinking affirms a negative existence and positive thinking promotes a positive existence. Cassie + Friends thinks optimistically and, therefore, promotes a positive mental and physical state for the youth and families that it serves.
Cassie + Friends is run by a small team that does so much. With about just half a dozen staff, they fund programs all across Canada, including 14 equipment cupboards with medical supplies, a youth mentorship and ambassadorship program, Family Day connection and education events, virtual education sessions and more...! At Cassie + Friends, there is no bureaucracy eating up your donation. A donation to Cassie + Friends is a donation directly towards the kids and families that need it most.
So, please help me ease the challenge of Juvenile Arthritis for children by supporting my challenge to run 21K!
Description
Help kids and youth with Juvenile Arthritis (JA) and rheumatic diseases see that #HopeFlares when we unite for stronger families, resilient youth and a cure!
In Canada, 3 in 1,000 kids face JA and related conditions like SJIA/Stills, lupus, fever syndromes, JDM and autoinflammatory disorders. These diseases can lead to chronic pain, disability, vision loss, mental health struggles, and even life-threatening complications—yet they remain drastically underfunded and overlooked, with only 20% awareness nationwide.
Team Cassie + Friends is Canada’s only movement 100% dedicated to the JA community. What began with one dad running in 2007 has grown into 750+ runners and thousands of donors rallying together annually for a pain-free future for kids!
By supporting our run/walk, you’ll directly support:
Groundbreaking research into precision medicine, mental health, and a cure
Vital resources like free medical equipment, financial aid, and Comfort Kits
Mentorship for youth and caregivers
Education and connection events for families
Advocacy for earlier diagnosis and equitable care
Together, we can bring hope, support, and brighter futures for kids facing lifelong challenges.
Questions? Contact Marissa Sangers at marissa@cassieandfriends.ca
If registration cost is a barrier, ask about our Kids Run Free bursary program.
Recent donors
| Donation date | Donor name | Donation amount |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 13 | Ciara Mahaffy | $54.31 |
