SAVANNAH, Ga. --
Hundreds of walkers and runners donned costumes and jingle bells to fight the nation’s leading cause of disability on Saturday. The Jingle Bell Run/Walkis the Arthritis Foundation’s annual holiday-themed event to raise awareness and funds.
According to the Arthritis Foundation arthritis affects 50 million adults and 300,000 children, including 1.6 million adults and nearly 9,200 children in Georgia.
Kacee Andujar was just 16 months old when she was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis which mainly affected her legs.
"I couldn't walk until 2005 because of it and when I started walking it wouldn’t let me straighten my legs,” said Andujar.
After a lot of physical therapy she can now play soccer but the 12-year-old said it can sometimes be difficult.
"During the winter my knees swell and so do my fingers and it will hurt sometimes but not all the time,” said Andujar.
Kacee's mom said arthritis was one of the last diseases on her mind when her daughter was first having problems.
"I used to associate it with old people. Now I don’t, anybody can get it at any time,” said Holly Thompson-Andujar.
Kacee said she tries not to let her arthritis hold her back.
“Sometimes I feel it's unfair but I’m normal in my way. Everybody else is normal in their way,” said Andujar.
The Arthritis Foundation's Jingle Bell Run and Walk aimed to raise $35,000 which will go towards funding for research, local programs, services and advocacy efforts.
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