The Arthritis Foundation is the Champion of Yes The Arthritis Foundation is the Champion of Yes. We lead the fight for the arthritis community – and we exist to conquer arthritis.

For nearly seven decades, the Arthritis Foundation has led the fight for the arthritis community. Advancing science. Helping people access optimal care. Sharing must-have information and tools. And creating communities of caring individuals, families and teams.

We’ve had many accomplishments since the Arthritis Foundation began We’ve had many accomplishments since the Arthritis Foundation began. Yet we’ve also heard many stories of people having to put their life on hold and say No to their dreams. INSERT a 3-4 sentence profile of a local person who is a Champion of Yes with the help of the Arthritis Foundation. -OR USE THIS EXAMPLE STORY- People like Arthritis Foundation Advocate Joy Ross, who is blind because of arthritis – and has two young daughters who also battle the disease. Despite all her obstacles, Joy has become an outspoken Advocate for arthritis research and making treatments more easily available. As Joy says: “We all have our disabilities, even if they’re not obvious. It’s what we do with them that counts.”

We hear things from people with arthritis like: It robs me of choices. It hurts. Arthritis is a thief.

But this is not our fate. We have to fight back and find ways to say Yes. And conquer arthritis for good.

The Arthritis Foundation focuses on breaking down barriers to care and advancing scientific discoveries. We also connect people with arthritis to tools, resources and a wider community of support.

By leading the way on many fronts in the fight against arthritis, the Arthritis Foundation improves quality of life, helping people say Yes to things important to them. We’re making a difference for the one in four Americans who has arthritis – more than 50 million people, including 300,000 children and their families. We’re helping save millions of dollars in health care costs.

This slide says it all: Arthritis is far-reaching and affects everyone This slide says it all: Arthritis is far-reaching and affects everyone. It’s expensive – and threatens quality of life. Arthritis steals everyday joys and long-term dreams. It isolates and ostracizes. It’s painful. It induces a spirit of No.

We know it doesn’t have to be this way We know it doesn’t have to be this way. The Arthritis Foundation and all of our champions – people like YOU – are in a unique place of authority and action. Our purpose is to fight for everyday victories and find a cure.

At the turn of the century, after years of research supported by the Arthritis Foundation, we were instrumental in the discovery and distribution of a groundbreaking drug that effectively treats painful joint inflammation in children. It’s also a lifesaving drug for a form of arthritis that affects the heart. This is just one of many examples of how we’ve changed people’s lives over the years. (NOTE: The drug was Kineret.)

If that’s all we did in the past 15 years or so, it would be an amazing story.

But it’s not.

The Arthritis Foundation has been a real catalyst for change in people’s lives. CHOOSE 3 OR 4 ITEMS TO HIGHLIGHT, depending on audience.

The effect is resounding. People can now move more freely The effect is resounding. People can now move more freely. They don’t feel so alone anymore. They know we are helping look out for them.

We’ve come a long way, but there’s much more work to do – and we can’t do it alone. We need YOU. CHOOSE FROM APPROPRIATE CALL TO ACTIONS BELOW, BASED ON AUDIENCE: PARTICIPATE: Register and raise funds for your nearest annual Walk to Cure Arthritis or Jingle Bell Run event. ADVOCATE: Sign up to be an Arthritis Foundation Advocate and let your voice be heard. VOLUNTEER: Find your closest Arthritis Foundation office and get involved. JOIN: Get numerous benefits by becoming a member, including a one-year subscription to our award-winning Arthritis Today magazine and our annual Drug Guide. DONATE: For every dollar donated to the Arthritis Foundation, more than 75 cents goes to arthritis research and interventions. We meet the strict qualifications of the Better Business Bureau and the National Health Council. OTHER ASK Ultimately, we’re depending on YOU to help us conquer arthritis and related diseases. Together, we’ve come a along way. Today and going forward, let’s accomplish even more. Let’s be the Champion of Yes together.

Thank you.