Katelyn JDM Baseball

This is Katelyn Reece and she is 10 years old. She is a student at Pevely Elementary, and is in the 4th grade. She is the daughter of Mr. Reece at SennThomas Middle School. She was diagnosed with Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM) on February 13th 2015. Juvenile Myositis/ Dermatomyositis (JM/JDM) is a rare and life-threatening disease that causes the immune system to attack healthy tissue and cells which leads to: pain, muscle weakness, inability to walk, disfigurement, possible organ failure and in some circumstances, death. JDM affects any system of the body: heart, lungs, skin, stomach, muscles, and more. Katelyn experiences many symptoms, but one of the more noticeable is the skin rash on her face, hands, elbows, and knees. In addition, JDM symptoms are increased by UV exposure. For that reason, Katelyn is not able to go out for recess or spend long periods of time outside. Her classroom, and other areas at school have special UV protective bulbs to limit her UV exposure. Katelyn receives a weekly injection and is on high doses of medication to limit the symptoms associated with JDM. Unfortunately, there is no cure for JDM, and no medications that are designed for treatment. Each year 2-4 kids in 1 million are diagnosed with JDM. The Cure JM Foundation is the primary source of research, information, and support for children and their families diagnosed with JM/JDM. Your donation will support the Cure JM Foundation by helping to fund research for life saving treatments, and hopefully, eventually a cure.