Brookvale Elementary Student Puts A 'Face' On Youth Arthritis

Arthritis is a disease of aging, right?

Not always.

Ten-year-old Zack Soares of Brookvale Elementary has been honored by the Fremont City Council for putting a face on childhood arthritis.

Among other things, Zack is playing a prominent role in the 2013 Tri-Valley Arthritis Walk that will be held May 4 in Livermore.

There are currently 300,000 children in the U.S. living with arthritis.

Zack has lived with the condition since 2007. To control his arthritis, he takes powerful medications by infusion and travels with his family to Chicago several times a year to see a specialist.

Zack lives an active life, including sports. For the past two summers, he has joined dozens of similar children at Camp Milagros in Livermore, the only camp in northern California specifically for children living with arthritis.

Meeting other kids like him has helped make Zack more confident and happier. He and his family have continued to educate his friends, neighbors, and educators about arthritis.

Zack’s school, Brookvale Elementary, has been especially supportive and will be holding two fundraisers for the benefit of Zack’s Arthritis Walk team, Team Zack Attack, and their own team, Team Brookvale Elementary.

The 2013 Tri-Valley Arthritis Walk will be on Saturday, May 4th at LifeStyleRx, 1119 E. Stanley Blvd., Livermore, CA.

Registration and festivities will begin at 8 am and include a one or three mile walking course, entertainment, kids’ activities, food, raffle prizes, arthritis education, and more.

Funds raised through the Arthritis Walk support the Arthritis Foundation’s continued work in research, education, programs and services, and government advocacy for the millions affected by arthritis.

If you are interested in learning more about the Tri-Valley Arthritis Walk, please contact Beth Miller at (415) 356-5483 or at bmiller@arthritis.org. To get more information about the Walk, please visit: www.TVArthritisWalk.Kintera.org.

The Arthritis Foundation is the leading health organization addressing the needs of more than 50 million Americans with arthritis, the nation's most common cause of disability.