A Patient's Gratitude in Action
Alice was diagnosed with chronic polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis at age 5, after early symptoms made everyday movement difficult and raised concerns for her parents. At CHOP, Pamela F. Weiss, MD, MSCE, began a treatment plan for Alice that included medications, occupational therapy and physical therapy to help protect her mobility, reduce pain and support her independence. Over the years, Alice’s care team helped her adapt, strengthen her body and advocate for herself — from learning how to hold a pencil and improve her gait to managing medication on a 12-day scouting trip.
Years later, Alice turned one of the most comforting parts of her own treatment experience — a backpack filled with supplies to distract and soothe her during injections — into her Eagle Scout project. She raised $5,000, assembled 72 comfort kits and donated them to CHOP’s Division of Rheumatology for children newly diagnosed with juvenile arthritis. Now 16 and one of the first girls in Bucks County to earn the rank of Eagle Scout, Alice continues to thrive through scouting, music, hiking and school, while expressing deep gratitude for her family, teachers and CHOP care team who helped her reach this point.
