As the Founder of Niagara 5000, it is my great pleasure to support Cassie & Friends and to build awareness of Juvenile Rheumatological conditions. My 5 year old daughter Katherine suffers from Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. I am driven to help support all children with Rheumatological diseases. Thousands of children in Canada are diagnosed every year. The disease can come in many forms including: Lupus, Cluster Fevers, Systemic Arthritis and blindness. We hope to raise a significant amount of money to help find a cure for all variations of the disease.

Katherine was always a healthy baby and toddler, but on the day we were moving from Toronto to Niagara-On-The-Lake, I noticed that she was limping. She was only a year and a half, so I assumed it must have been from a bunched up sock. However, the limp never went away and only worsened. I spent hours holding her in my arms while she screamed in pain. She was so little that she couldn't tell us how she was feeling, but she could no longer straighten her leg or move her ankle. After several trips to The Emergency Room, she was diagnosed with JIA in multiple joints, her left leg, ankle and foot in November of 2020. It was a devastating diagnosis. We didn't know if this bright, vibrant little girl would be able to walk again or live a full active life. Thanks to her wonderful Rheumatological team at McMaster Children's Hospital, Katherine is now in medicated remission. We are so unbelievably grateful for Dr. Tania Celluci's support. Dr. Celluci and her team have become a part of our family and we hope that every child could have access to such wonderful medical care.

Over the course of two years, Katherine has endured countless medical visits, needles, x-rays, steroids and medical procedures. We now give her a weekly Methotrexate Needle to keep her arthritis in remission. We don't know if Katherine will have arthritis for the rest of our life. But we do know that this is a very treatable disease. Many families cannot afford the weekly injections or don't have access to Pediatric Rheumatologists. Our goal is to raise awareness and funds for all children who are inflicted with these diseases.

We are so grateful for your support in our mission to find a cure for all Pedatric Rheumatological diseases.

Niagara 5000 is proud to partner with Cassie + Friends. The national charity's mission is to transform the lives of kids and families affected by Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. Over the past decade, they have impacted the lives of thousands and have raised over $2.5 million for research, support, equipment and education. It's estimated that 1 out of every 1000 kids suffer from rheumatic diseases, however that number may be significantly higher because many go undiagnosed.

Niagara 5000 powered by McLaren Toronto will give Cassie + Friends a portion of all proceeds raised by the event. We have a very personal connection to the charity because our Founder and CEO's daughter suffers from JIA. 5 year old Katherine was diagnosed at 2 years old and has benefited greatly from Cassie + Friends and her incredible medical team at McMaster Children's Hospital. Without their support and treatments, Katherine would be unable to walk and would suffer in excruciating pain every single day from the arthritis in her left knee, ankle and foot. To learn more about Katherine's story, please see below.