May is Arthritis Awareness Month.  And though you may wonder if awareness is really necessary, consider this.  There are over 100 types of arthritis; each with different causes, different symptoms, different severity levels, and different treatments.  This graphic, taken from the link above, illustrates the magnitude of arthritis perfectly:

Copyright © 2005-2011. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. All rights reserved.

Funding for these diseases is dramatically low, given their impact on society.  For example, did you know that:

– Arthritis costs the economy $128 billion annually?
– Almost 300,000 children live with juvenile arthritis?
– By 2030, as many as 67 million Americans are projected to have some form of arthritis?

Please help support awareness and research funding by visiting the links referenced on this site to learn more for yourself.  Or, consider joining The Arthritis Foundation for one of the Arthritis Walks they’re hosting all over the country this month.  The events are family and dog friendly, and you can find one near you here.  I participated last year with an awesome group of friends and family.  I cannot walk this time, but I donated to one of my favorite teams in Tampa.

Thank you for your support – it makes a big difference for all of us!