Building friendships with others in the JM community can be difficult. Since JM is a rare disease, medical common ground might be a state away. But at this summer’s family conference, Cure JM’s common ground was Gaithersburg, MD. There, a friendship between two girls was built—but not from scratch. This summer, Gigi and Livy shared a reunion five years in the making. 

Livy and Gianna both entered middle school this semester. They both play sports and video games, are passionate about their schooling, and love Maya Angelou’s poem “Phenomenal Woman.” Their most significant similarity is juvenile dermatomyositis. But they live on opposite coasts. That distance made this summer’s reunion so special.

Click below to read the full story of Gigi and Livy's enduring friendship.

“Hope is in the research."

The season of "hope" is here, leading up to the biggest day of the year for Cure JM! Giving Tuesday, November 28th, is a day of global generosity when over four billion dollars will be given to charity. 

As a parent, I want some of this generosity to be directed at Cure JM. Because JM is rare, research is only made possible by people like you and me, who care deeply about the future of our kids.

Succeeding in becoming one of the most effective rare disease organizations is no accident. Families like yours and mine are among the most dedicated and passionate anywhere. This is why Cure JM is making the kind of progress many organizations dream of.

Please join me in sharing about our progress and fundraising leading up to Giving Tuesday, November 28th, 2023. Learn more and join us as a Hope Hero by visiting www.curejm.org/hopehero

With gratitude,

Shannon Malloy

JM Parent & Development Director

Getting the Diagnosis with Megan Curran, MD

We sat down with Dr. Megan Curran to discuss the importance of getting a timely and accurate diagnosis, along with what steps should be taken for all JM patients.

With juvenile myositis being rare, getting a diagnosis can be a challenge for some families. A timely diagnosis can be a critical factor in JM management and positive treatment responses.

Watch this video with Dr. Megan Curran, MD of Children's Hospital Colorado, and the Cure JM Clinical Care Network, addressing the JM diagnosis process for patients and families.

To review our new diagnosis resource page, please visit www.curejm.org/getting-the-diagnosis.

We are excited to share a special educational support opportunity for collegiate JM patients who are using their own experience to lead and inspire.

The Pioneers in JM Advocates Scholarship is a new scholarship program honoring the founding members of Cure JM’s inaugural Medical Advisory Board and pioneering JM researchers and clinicians, Drs. Lauren M. Pachman, Ann M. Reed and Lisa G. Rider.  

These scholarships are generously funded by founding board members.

The Pioneers in JM Advocates Scholarship is intended to be awarded to three deserving students with juvenile myositis who:

•  Impact the juvenile myositis community through their volunteer and leadership efforts
• Inspire the juvenile myositis community by overcoming adversity while empowering others to do the same

To learn more about this program and full details, click the button below.

Fundraising doesn’t have to be a daunting task. We’d like to invite our families to join us in putting the “Fun” in fundraising.

For some, traditional fundraising can be a challenging but necessary task. However, in most cases, those in our networks really want to help advance our mission in honor of our JM kids and families.

Knowing where to start, having a plan, and doing it your way are just a few keys to successful fundraising. We’ve put together some tips, tricks, and ideas around DIY fundraising to help set your fundraiser up for success and have some fun along the way.

Learn more, get inspired, and get support with your idea by clicking the "learn more" button below.