Arthritis Northwest Rheumatologists Drs. Kenney, Craig, LaSalle, and Mueller appeared together with Physician Assistant Dale Raschko on KHQ Channel 6 for an informative session with viewers about arthritis. The session began on Friday evening at 5 p.m. and lasted until 6:30 p.m.

 

During the event, viewers were able to call in and ask rheumatology questions directly to the experts on air, and were also able to participate in an online blog, wherein Dr. Mueller answered questions that were submitted through the KHQ website.

 

The vast array of questions presented to the ANW rheumatologists shows just how extensive the term “arthritis” really is. According to the Arthritis Foundation, “arthritis is a term used to describe more than 100 different conditions that affect joints as well as other parts of the body.”

 

Viewers and bloggers asked the providers of Arthritis Northwest questions about conditions as diverse as spinal arthritis, recent drug developments, dietary guidelines for patients with RA, psoriatic arthritis, gout, and lupus. The experts were even asked questions about the new H1N1 vaccine, as many patients with autoimmune diseases are immuno-suppressed due to medications.

 

The providers of ANW donated their time at the call center to help raise awareness about the upcoming Jingle Bell Run, which ANW sponsors each year, and to educate local patients about a group of conditions that affect an estimated 46 million adults in the United States.

 

The call center event was aired on KHQ in conjunction with an interview that same morning with Sarah Godfrey, the 2009 Jingle Bell Run honoree. Godfrey was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis when she was 5 years old. It is patients like her that the providers and staff at Arthritis Northwest are committed to helping, as they work together to manage their disease, improve their quality of life, and continue research that will improve treatments and help find a cure.