Kelly Rouba: Author and Arthritis spokesperson

ANRF rings the NASDAQ opening bell!

2010-07-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

On Thursday July 8th, I participated in the NASDAQ’s opening bell ceremony in Times Square in honor of Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month. It was an honor for me, as a national spokesperson and Board member for the Arthritis National Research Foundation (ANRF), to join Executive Director Helene Belisle and other youth with juvenile arthritis as well as medical professionals. Among them were Shaun-Marie Robbins (age 30), who lives in Hamilton and was diagnosed at 1 ½ years old, and Carrick Porter, a teenager who has juvenile arthritis and lives in Hopewell.

Photo of Kelly Rouba with Shaun-Marie Robbins (on right) and William Scannon, Rouba’s neighbor and the inspiration behind ANRF’s Marathon for a Cure program.

At the ceremony, NASDAQ officials and Belisle spoke about The Kelly Award for Juvenile Arthritis Research. Each year, ANRF awards this $75,000 grant to a scientist studying a cure for juvenile arthritis. Interestingly, the researcher who received the grant this year would not have been able to continue her work without the funding.

The general public is still largely unaware that children and even infants can get arthritis, not to mention how damaging it can be. I am very grateful that NASDAQ chose to highlight the Arthritis National Research Foundation’s efforts to find a cure and further awareness by inviting us to participate in their opening bell ceremony during Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month. It was an amazing experience.

For more information, visit www.curearthritis.org or call Derek Belisle, marketing assistant for ANRF, at 800-588-2873.

Iron Cupcake Challenge supports The Kelly Award

2010-07-12T13:08:00.000-07:00

On July 7th, 2010, I had the honor to be a judge at the Kati's Kupcakes Iron Cupcake Challenge at The Pop Shop in Collingswood. The monthly event started by Kati Angelini, talented cupcake designer and founder of Kati's Kupcakes in Moorestown, benefits a different charity each month. This month, The Kelly Award and ANRF were the fortunate recipients in honor of July as Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month. I want to give an extra special thank you to challenge winner Deanna Gordon who donated her prize money to The Kelly Award as well.

Check out some of highlights from the event below. For more info about the Iron Cupcake Challenge, visit the event group site: http://www.meetup.com/Iron-Cupcake-Challenge-Moorestown

Visit Kati's business site, http://www.katiskupcakes.com/, and prepare to be in awe of her talent when you view her cupcake gallery at her Flickr page.

For more information about ANRF and how you can support The Kelly Award, visit www.CureArthritis.org.

My 30th Birthday Bash & Benefit

2010-04-27T08:02:00.000-07:00

Please allow me to express a very heartfelt thank you to all who made my 30^th birthday benefit so special on Friday evening. It was a night I will never forget (wink!), and I was so honored that Helene Belisle, executive director of the Arthritis National Research Foundation, flew out from California to take part in the event. Helene is one of the most compassionate people I know and has truly welcomed me into the ANRF family. I always know I can turn to my “West Coast Mom” for advice and support—and for that, I am grateful.

Helene’s son Derek Belisle, who handles marketing for the foundation, also surprised me by flying out for the benefit. In spite of the many miles between us, Derek has become one of my best friends. After months of teasing me that he wouldn’t be able to make it out to Atlantic City for my party, it made for perhaps the best surprise ever when he actually showed up and played a very touching video on The Kelly Award for Juvenile Arthritis Research on top of it. My favorite part of the video was the message from Dr. Susannah D. Brydges, who received this year’s grant of $75,000. The project she is working on is amazing and she wouldn’t have been able to continue her work without this grant, which gave me chills when I found out.

I am also very grateful to all who donated services and/or goods to help make the benefit such a success. (See list below.) A big thank you goes to Donna McCarthy, general manager of Gallagher’s Steakhouse and Burger Bar at Resorts Casino, for donating the space and food. Also, thank you to Dan Baker and The Raven Rock Rounders for providing the terrific bluegrass music and to Phil Cardon from Everyday Gourmet & Cakes for the fabulous birthday cake!!! I have never seen such a beautiful—yet delicious—work of art!

And I truly appreciate the generosity of those who donated to The Kelly Award for Juvenile Arthritis Research as well. The award (named after me) offers a rare opportunity to fund juvenile arthritis research. Sadly, most drug companies and other entities only want to spend research dollars on drugs for adults since the numbers are greater. However, having lived with JA since I was two, I will do everything in my power to see that no other child or teen has to suffer as I did. And while treatments have come a long way, they still have a long way to go. Please consider supporting The Kelly Award and helping the Arthritis National Research Foundation in its mission to find better treatments and hopefully even a cure. Thank you!

A special thanks to the sponsors:

Venue & Food: Gallagher's Steakhouse at Resorts Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City

Cake: Everyday Gourmet & Cakes, Ogden, UT

Balloons: Chester's Plants & Flowers, Atlantic City

Corsages: Monday Morning Flower & Balloon Co., Princeton

Entertainment: Raven Rock Rounders

New ANRF Video: "Save me a dream"

2010-03-04T11:18:00.000-08:00

A Message from Derek Belisle from the Arthritis National Research Foundation:

Over 46 million Americans suffer from arthritis, 300,000 of them are children. Most people think that arthritis only affects older people, but that just is not the case. Please help make everyone aware of Juvenile Arthritis and forward this to your friends and family.

For more information visit www.CureArthritis.org
To see more videos visit www.youtube.com/CureArthritis

My tribute at Hamilton Physical Thearpy

2010-02-05T11:16:00.000-08:00

In January, Hamilton Physical Therapy honored me for my accomplishment in disability and arthritis awareness, by hanging my photo in their lobby. Here I am with my physical therapist Allison Davis-Papi who is also in my book.

Meet Bailey-a brave little girl with JRA

2009-09-29T10:39:00.000-07:00

Please take a few minutes and watch this touching video about Bailey, a brave 5-year old girl who has JRA. You can learn more about Bailey, her parents and their journey treating JRA at their family blog, Warren Family-Bailey's Blog. Here's a message from her mom that she sent to me through CreakyJoints.com:

Hi. Thank You so much for all you do for kids like you & my daughter Bailey! We are so frustrated that no matter how many walks, talks, interviews, etc....the World doesn't know about this disease & the way kids suffer from it - Bailey also Has Uveitis - Its tried to steal her sight 3 times now!

For kids with arthritis: Looks Can Be Deceiving

2009-09-08T05:17:00.000-07:00

September 14-20 marks National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week and Lisa Copen, director of Rest Ministries, has invited me to be a guest on her Internet radio show to discuss the fact that symptoms of arthritis aren’t always “visible.”

If you have not yet read my book Juvenile Arthritis: The Ultimate Teen Guide, I encourage you to pick up a copy so you can read Amanda White’s story, which begins in Chapter One. Amanda was diagnosed with arthritis at the age of 14; she is now a college sophomore. To look at her, you would never know that she lives in almost constant pain. It is because she looks like other girls her age that people are unaware of her limitations or choose to brush off the severity of her condition and push her to do things she is physically incapable of doing.

In her case and for many others with arthritis, the old saying holds true: “Looks can be deceiving.” For this reason, I continue to work to educate others of the fact that arthritis affects everyone differently and some days it may be worse than others. In my case, it has clearly taken a toll on my body and left me with many visible contractures or deformities. But for many others, while the disease is “invisible,” the pain it causes is just as real.

To get your "I'm Blogging for..." badge, visit the Invisible Illness Week Blog.

Congrats to Kayla and her Mom

2009-09-08T04:58:00.001-07:00

Last month I held a contest to win a Nintendo Wii (donated by Ag Apparel) and the EA Sports Active game (donated by EA Sports Active). We received numerous inspirational stories of people who would use the prize package to help them on their journey or to help someone else. One entry really resonated with me and I'm happy to say that Kayla was the lucky winner. Here is what Kayla wrote:

I would love to win this contest for the most amazing woman I have ever met...My mother.

My mother is simply amazing. I have never met a woman who is more generous with her love and time. Her whole life, she has put the needs of others before her own. She went without many things while raising me on her own because she never wanted me to go without. She never wanted me to be affected because there wasn't a father figure in my life. This incredible woman gave so much of herself for me, and for that I am forever grateful.

Now is the time for my mother to focus on herself and her health. Her joint pain has prevented her from walking outside for exercise because it hits her so suddenly. Every time she comes down for a visit, she talks about buying a Wii and exercising in the comfort of her own home...But atlas, money doesn't grow on trees. The economy hit my mother hard, and she has been without a job for many months now. Day in and day out, she searches for a job, but like the millions of other Americans, she continues to be unemployed.

I would love for my mother to win this contest for her health and for her happiness. Getting in shape would not only boost her confidence and help her realize how beautiful she is, but it would greatly improve her health. And maybe, just maybe it would help me get that mother/daughter picture I have been asking for, but always get "I'm too fat" back as a response.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. :)

Now Kayla (aka @Chubby_Stubby_K):

My name is Kayla and I am twenty four years old, currently on a mission to lose 125 pounds. With the love and support from my amazing mother and my wonderful Twitter/Blog Friends, I have managed to lose forty pounds and have adapted living a healthy lifestyle. I decided to blog my journey as I found that by reading blogs from other people and their weight loss journeys, it helped to not only inspire me, but keep me focused on my own journey.

The link to my blog is: http://chubbystubbykay.blogspot.com/

Kayla will keep us posted on how her mother is doing with the Wii and the game. Congratulations and we look forward to sharing her progress!

Scenes from News 12 NJ

2009-07-15T12:06:00.001-07:00

My TV News debut!

This past weekend News 12 NJ aired an episode of 12 To Your Health where I spoke to host Janine Stafaci to spread awareness about Juvenile Arthritis and educate families and children about the disease. Joining me was Dr. Nandini Moorthy, a Pediatric Rheumatologist at UMDNJ/Robert Wood Johnson, Here are some of the photo highlights.

Stay tuned for the video!

Such an honor...

2009-07-10T13:27:00.000-07:00

Recently I was honored for my work and advocacy by the Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund at their annual awards dinner. And I got to meet Gov. Corzine too!

To learn more about the CICRF, visit their site.

My hair grew back so I could donate it...

2009-06-23T18:15:00.000-07:00

Last week, I visited Create Yourself Salon so I could donate 10 inches of my hair to Locks of Love. Having lost nearly every strand of hair on my head in 2003, this was something I really wanted to do from the bottom of my heart.

I will never forget having to wear hats to cover my bald head and having to go wig shopping with my mom (although I ended up just wearing hats and scarves until the hair grew back). I still wonder how I got through that time in my life, especially since my hair is one of the few physical attributes people compliment me on considering much of my body is damaged by arthritis. I think half of me zoned out at the time and half of me kept persevering as I'm not one to be kept down for long.

Since then, there have been times due to iron deficiency or thyroid issues that I lost clumps of hair and it's frightened me. Once everything was under control, I grew my hair long and enjoyed every minute of it!

Finally, I decided it was time to share it with someone who needs it, and I encourage you to do the same. According to the salon's owner, Locks of Love is in great need of donations of hair. Visit www.locksoflove.org for more details.

No more "sitting on the sidelines" with EA Sports Active for Nintendo Wii

2009-06-15T17:24:00.000-07:00

On a recent night after work, I met up with my friends Jerry, Krystal, and Scott in the recreation center of Scott’s building to test out EA SPORTS Active. With the exception of Krystal, the rest of us have varying disabilities (arthritis, spinal cord injury, and cerebral palsy—we all use wheelchairs) and wanted to see how well we faired with this new fitness video game package, which allows users to create their own customized workout from more than 25 exercises or follow the recommendations of a virtual trainer. We chose to try both.

Although Scott bailed before we could get the Wii to work on the big screen TV, Jerry finally got it up and running and the three of us began taking turns replicating the exercises as demonstrated by our virtual fitness trainer. Some exercises, like inline skating or squats, definitely proved difficult or impossible when you’re sitting in a wheelchair. But, we had a good laugh over trying to figure out a way to do the exercises and eventually passed along the controls to Krystal once we gave up. Other exercises, like tennis or hitting the punch bag, proved to be something we all could do—and we even broke quite a sweat!!

After following the recommended routine for a while, we decided it might be better for Jerry and I to create our own workout made up of exercises we knew we could do based on our own abilities. This turned out to be even more fun, so much so that I had trouble tearing the couple away for dinner. As the minutes (and calories) flew by, we continued to laugh and sweat over games of baseball, volleyball, and even dancing. While this fitness game system certainly can be played alone, I think we all agree that exercising with friends makes it much more enjoyable!

Having the option to customize your own workout also makes EA SPORTS Active a worthwhile investment for those with physical limitations. Instead of sitting on the sidelines, it allows you to “get in the game,” literally. In “virtual life,” Jerry and I can engage in activities, like baseball or tennis, whereas in “real life,” we could not. Furthermore, the customized workout allows us to skip those activities that we still can’t do virtually, like squats.

I recommend trying EA SPORTS Active as a fun way for those with disabilities to stay in shape, especially if you are one who doesn’t venture out much. The game package allows you to select exercises that are right for you—and any exercise is better than no exercise.

Personal Reflections: Farrah's Story Hits Home

2009-05-18T04:29:00.000-07:00

My mom and I watched Farrah Fawcett’s documentary the other night and much of it hit home with me. It was painful to watch since my grandfather died as a result of an awful battle with cancer. While my disease is different, I can relate on a number of levels to Farrah.

I, too, have endured much pain and was even prescribed Methotrexate (which originated as a cancer drug) as a teen. I will never forget every Wednesday night while I watched Beverly Hills 90210 trying to disguise the pills in Oreo cookies as if I would somehow forget that I was taking them. And it was never long before I found myself throwing up in the bathroom due to the effects of the medication. It was a horrible feeling and a horrible period in my life.

I could also relate when Farrah said she doesn’t recognize her body anymore as a result of the disease and treatments. While I’ve had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis most of my life, I have always felt like an “alien” in my own body. Some days, I refer to myself as a 90-year-old trapped inside a 29-year-old’s body. But then I look at my neighbor who is about that age and I realize I’m wrong—I’m in worse shape, crippled by the disease and almost always in pain. I envy her as I watch her kneeling in her yard pulling weeds and trimming the bushes. I haven’t been able to kneel since I was about 7, and I’ve never been able to tend to our lawn. It’s sad when even the most mundane chores seem desirable simply because you can’t do them. Then the self-pity kicks in even more and I start to resent that I will likely die having never had the chance to mow the lawn, or ride a bicycle, or even walk down the aisle to meet that knight in shining armor. (Did I mention most guys can’t look past the wheelchair?)

And while most days I try to focus on the bright side of life, the tough reality of living with arthritis that so many people are unaware of is one that I can never ignore.

Teachers Change Lives: Special Thanks to Ms. Lynn Rich

2009-05-15T13:54:00.000-07:00

Today, I had the pleasure of presenting my former high school English teacher Lynn Rich with a signed copy of my book.

Ms. Rich made her students strive to earn high marks and because of this I had to work even harder at something that had always come naturally to me. If it weren’t for her, my writing would not be at the level it is today, and I may not have been inspired to go on to pursue a career in the field.

It’s been more than 10 years since I graduated from Nottingham High School, but we still keep in touch and I know I can always count on Ms. Rich for professional advice. In fact, she was there to guide me when I needed help with my bibliography and for that, I am grateful.

Give Children with Arthritis A Voice

2009-05-04T04:41:00.000-07:00

As part of National Arthritis Month, which takes place each May, I am asking that you help me in my mission to create awareness of a disease that is often ignored by the mainstream media--juvenile arthritis.

“Imagine waking up every morning so stiff from joint pain that you are barely able to crawl out of bed. You hobble your way to the tub to fix a hot bath—after all, it’s the only thing that will help your joints to loosen up. After taking a bath, your stiffness has lessened, leaving you with just the normal aches and pains you’re faced with daily. Today the pain may not be so severe, but tomorrow it could be much worse. It’s the type of pain that makes everyday tasks quite difficult—sometimes even impossible. All you want to do is escape. Going to bed has become your favorite “activity,” just as long as you don’t lie there thinking about the day ahead.

The situation I just described might sound like the life of someone in his or her golden years—perhaps even your own grandmother or grandfather—but it’s not. It is the life of more than three hundred thousand children and teens living with juvenile arthritis.”

The above excerpt was taken from Chapter 2 of my recently released book Juvenile Arthritis: The Ultimate Teen Guide. The book not only shares the stories of teens and pre-teens living with juvenile arthritis, but also serves as a comprehensive self-help guide for individuals who have the disease and their families.

As part of National Arthritis Month, which takes place each May, I am asking that you help me in my mission to create awareness of a disease that is often ignored by the mainstream media. Please give those of us who have juvenile arthritis a voice in our quest for better treatments and a cure. So many members of the public are unaware that children can get arthritis and that it can severely impact our mobility in addition to causing much pain. And sadly, despite what commercials show, aspirin is not a cure or even of much help to those dealing with juvenile arthritis. In fact, many of the treatments now on the market only work for a small percentage of patients and many stop working after several years of taking them.

Personally speaking, over the years, arthritis has restricted more and more of my mobility and I now rely on a wheelchair to get around. My goal in life is to help others become more aware of this debilitating disease so future generations of children do not have to experience all that I have went through and can live their lives without limitations. I hope that you will find it in your hearts to stop allowing this disease to go unnoticed and ignored by sharing our stories.

In the company of powerful women: NJ Governor's Conference

2009-04-16T19:03:00.000-07:00

On May 12th, I'll be in the company of some amazing women at the 2009 NJ Governor's Conference for Women.

Cokie Roberts, Maya Angelou, and influential women in politics, health care, finance and media! See the complete list below(scroll towards the bottom to find me!):

Kelly Rouba on Blog Talk Radio

2009-04-12T21:01:00.000-07:00

On Monday April 13th at 1pm I will be chatting with Tamara Walker, R.N., host of the Ask MomRN Show on Blog Talk Radio. Listen to me live by clicking play below.

Feel free to call (347) 945-7957 with your questions or your stories. I'd love to hear from you!

For more information about the Ask MomRN Show, click here.

Arthritis Fitness with the Wii: How a virtual game made me an athlete

2009-04-03T06:48:00.000-07:00

I remember when my brother Kevin stood in line for about a half hour so he could be one of the first people to get Nintendo's latest video game system called Wii in 2006. At the time, I didn't really understand what all the hype was about until he brought the system to my home so I could try it out. After he popped in the first sports game CD, I found myself immediately engrossed in virtual games of baseball, boxing and golf, and among others.

Because of the severe physical limitations arthritis imposed on my body, I had never been able to play these sports before. Instead, I always sat on the sidelines watching my brother play baseball and soccer as he grew up. Now, for the first time, we could play together-even if it was virtually-and I even broke a sweat!

Kelly's book available now!

2009-04-02T16:36:00.000-07:00

Meet Kelly Rouba

2008-04-02T16:30:00.000-07:00

Hi, I’m Kelly Rouba and thanks for visiting today! Although you may know me as a juvenile arthritis advocate, I wear many hats: I’m an author, a journalist, a pr professional, NJ resident and a young woman with a strong voice.

I was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 2. It wasn’t until I got to college that I began to accept and “embrace” my situation-a decision that has also led me on a path of advocacy. In fact, I was Ms. Wheelchair NJ a couple years ago, which allowed me to share my message with a broader audience.

Lately, I have become even more limited by the disease and my body is not responding well to available medications. However, this only drives me to want to get the word out about juvenile arthritis even more. I know there is a still a lot of ground to cover as I meet people on a weekly basis that have no idea children can get the disease.

Since I do not want others to experience the pain that I have had throughout my life, I am excited with the power that my book can have to change someone’s life.

I have heard from people featured in the book and who have read it that they wish there was a book like this around when they were young. I can remember throwing away all of my arthritis books, just not wanting to know about my disease. That is not the response that I think kids and families will have with my book. They will meet other kids, teens and adults with JRA and know that there is hope and there is a way to lead a normal life.

Please join me on my path to awareness, education and hopefully a cure for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Feel free to share with me your stories or questions. I'd love to hear from you!

About Kelly Rouba
Kelly Rouba is an accomplished journalist and public speaker, starting her journalism career at age 19 when she took a position as a stringer for Trenton Times while still in college. Among her various publications, Ms. Rouba also writes for thisabled.com and mobilewomen.org, and serves as a member of mobilewomen's Advisory Committee.

Ms. Rouba works full-time with EAD & Associates, an emergency management firm specializing in special needs populations. She is also a DAE/Special Needs Specialist with the Dept. of Homeland Security/FEMA Region II.

She a member of Hamilton Township's Advisory Commission on the Status of Women and Project Freedom's Board of Trustees. In 2007, she served on the planning committee for the NJ Governor's Conference on Employment for People with Disabilities and was chair of the public relations sub-committee--a role she has recently resumed. She also served as emcee and a panelist at the conference.

Ms. Rouba held the title of Ms. Wheelchair New Jersey from December 2006-February 2008 and even served as state program coordinator until recently.

She has been featured in numerous print and online publications. She was also interviewed on WZBN News, ABC's television show Perspective New Jersey, and Disaboom Radio; she was also introduced on Live With Regis & Kelly. Presently, she is being filmed by Agency New Jersey for a documentary on juvenile arthritis.

Press: Web, Radio and Print

2008-04-01T16:45:00.000-07:00

May 2010: Ability Magazine blog: "Juvenile Arthritis, Kelly Rouba's Journey to Raise Awareness"

September 14, 2009: MobileLife Today: "Kelly's Story"

September 10, 2009: The Collegian, Univ. of Richmond Student Newspaper: "Sophomore battles arthritis, keeps figure skating"

August 27, 2009: The Trentonian: "Willing, able to save lives"

July 1, 2009: Wall Street Journal: "Institute Offers Blueprint for U.S. Effort to Compare Medical Treatments"

June 25, 2009: Power Women Magazine: Blog Talk Radio Interview

June 19, 2009: EA Sports Active Blog: "Meet Kelly Rouba"

May 13, 2009: ParentTalkToday.com: "Juvenile Arthritis-What Parents Need To Know"

April 17, 2009: JointsLikeMine.com

April 10, 2009: Podcast
"No Free Rides" with Tiffany Carlson-An xAble.com Lifestyle Show for Women

April 3,2009: HamiltonSpace.com by Norine Longo

Spring 2009: The Angelos of Kappa Delta

March/April 2009: H. Morris Solutions

November 2008: CreakyJoints.com NJ Superstar: Volunteer-of-the-Year

Contact Kelly

2008-03-03T06:29:00.000-08:00

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2008-03-03T06:13:00.000-08:00

Your message has been sent and you will get a response in 1-2 days.

Thank you for supporting my mission to help find a cure for Arthritis.

Photos, Videos and More

2008-03-02T16:59:00.000-08:00

Speaking Engagements & Appearances

2008-02-03T06:45:00.000-08:00

Kelly Rouba is available to speak to your school, community, organization and staff.
For more information about scheduling an appearance with Kelly, contact:

Hilary Morris
H. Morris Solutions, LLC
609-462-3228
hmorris@hmorris-solutions.com

Upcoming

•July 31, 2010-Juvenile Arthritis Conference in Philadelphia, PA. Panel speaker for “Young Adult Panel: Young adults who grew up with juvenile arthritis share their experiences of life with JA.”

Past
•October 20, 2009- DiscoverAbility in New Brunswick, NJ (The NJ Dept. of Human Services 2009 Employment Conference for People with Disabilities.)
•October 20, 2009- ADA Center for Independent Living's Workshop on Employment in Edison, NJ
•November 19,2009- Virginia Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation’s Commitment for a Cure Breakfast in Richmond, VA
•October 2009- Missile Defense Agency Kickoff of the Combined Federal Campaign
•June 2009- Giving workshop at United Spinal Association’s Independence Expo in NY on networking
• June 2009- Speaking at Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund’s annual luncheon
• May 2009- Moderated panel at Governor’s Conference for Women in Atlantic City
• May 2009- Spoke at Mercer County Arthritis Walk
• April 2009- Panelist and moderator at RESNA conference in Philadelphia, PA
• February 2009- Speaker at Indian Fields Elementary School for Celebrating Uniqueness Day
• January 2009- Allies,Inc fundraiser at KatManDu
• November 2008- Gave acceptance speech at Governor’s Volunteerism Award Ceremony
• November 2008- Guest speaker at Crossroads Middle School in South Brunswick, NJ
• June 2008- Keynote speaker at NJ Governor’s Mansion for Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund Commission’s anniversary celebration
• May 2008- Speaker at Mercer County Arthritis Walk
• April 2008- Guest speaker at Greenbrook Elementary School in Kendall Park, NJ
• April 2008- Guest speaker at Rider University in Lawrence, NJ
• April 2008- Keynote speaker at NJ Coalition on Women and Disabilities awards ceremony in East Brunswick, NJ
• February 2008- Guest speaker at Beyond Media: The FeFe Stories at Jackson Library
• February 2008- Hosted Ms. Wheelchair NJ Pageant
• January 2008- Visited patients at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
• November 2007- Headlined fundraiser with Ultimate Fighting Champ Jens Pulver
• November 2007- Guest speaker at Indians Field School
• October 2007- Served as emcee and panelist at Governor’s Conference on Employment and People with Disabilities
• September 2007- Invited to tour the highly restricted Cinderella’s Suite at Disney World
• August 2007- Threw out first pitch at Trenton Thunder (Double AA of the NY Yankees) playoffs
• August 2007- Served as judge at L’Oreal Beauty Pageant for Dogs in support of the Komen Foundation
• July 2007- Competed in Ms. Wheelchair America pageant in Maryland
• July 2007- Spoke to teen girls in the DOVE program at Valentine Hall, a juvenile detention center
• June 2007- Served as keynote speaker at NJYAC Conference
• June 2007- Participated in an event sponsored by Freedom Wings International
• May 2007- Participated in Hamilton Township’s Memorial Day Parade
• May 2007- Guest speaker at McKinley Community School’s Career Day
• April 2007- Spoke on disability awareness at Robinson Elementary School
• April 2007- Guest speaker at Applegarth School for Disability Awareness Day
• April 2007- Made appearance at Abilities Expo in Edison
• April 2007- Spoke on disability awareness at Morgan Elementary School
• April 2007- Participated in the Mercer County Arthritis Walk and took part in ribbon cutting
• March 2007- Panelist at Next Step Conference on employment sponsored by Resources for Independent Living
• March 2007- Spoke on disability awareness at Kiel School
• March 2007- Participated in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Trenton
• Fall 2006- Spoke at employment conference sponsored by Resources for Independent Living

New Jersey Statewide Independent Living Council

2007-10-20T06:43:00.000-07:00

The SILC is a 17-person committee, appointed by the Governor, that works to maximize the opportunities given to individuals with disabilities. By law, a majority of the members are persons with disabilities who work along side disability advocates, private business reps and directors from various Centers for Independent Living.

Below is a listing of the appointees, by county: For more info, contact Robert Corrales, 609-777-2600

NEW JERSEY INDEPENDENT LIVING COUNCIL

Appoint Kelly Rouba (Mercerville, Mercer)

Appoint Marlene Wechselblatt (Watchung, Somerset)

Reappoint Kathryn Blisard (Titusville, Mercer)

Appoint Dorothy M. Doran (Neptune, Monmouth)

Appoint Santina Muha (Branchburg, Somerset)

The Kelly Award

2006-12-09T06:11:00.000-08:00

The Arthritis National Research Foundation proudly announces The Kelly Award

The Arthritis National Research Foundation recently announced it's creation of The Kelly Award. This special designation will be awarded annually to one Arthritis National Research Foundation (ANRF) grant recipient studying juvenile arthritis.

Arthritis is often considered “an old person’s disease.” Unfortunately, one may fall victim to the devastating effects of arthritis at any age, including young children.

“Kelly” in The Kelly Award is ANRF board member, Kelly Rouba. Ms. Rouba, age 29, is a national spokesperson for ANRF and an inspiration to all who come in contact with her. She has had debilitating rheumatoid arthritis since the age of 2. Despite the chronic and often severe pain she suffers every day, Kelly is a successful writer and advocate for people with all disabilities, not limited to arthritis. Her beauty, inside and out, was celebrated when she won Ms. Wheelchair New Jersey in December 2006.

Kelly was only 19 years old when she was thrown into the fast-paced world of news reporting. While still in college, Kelly was a stringer for the Trenton Times, marking the start of her career in professional writing. She recently authored a book geared to helping young patients and their families deal with juvenile arthritis entitled, Juvenile Arthritis: The Ultimate Teen Guide, published by Scarecrow Press. The book is available online through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

For the past few years, Kelly has written for numerous magazines and web sites. She is a much sought-after public speaker, inspiring thousands of young people to be the best they can be. Much of her time is now spent working as a Special Needs Specialist for the Dept. of Homeland Security/FEMA Region II. Through this position, she handles emergency preparedness issues relating to special needs populations. She also sits on the NJ Special Needs Advisory Panel.

The Arthritis National Research Foundation’s Grant Guidelines state its intention to fund at least one juvenile arthritis project each year. We at ANRF hope that The Kelly Award and Kelly herself will make people aware of juvenile arthritis and its impact on so many young people and their families.

“I am committed to finding a cure for the over 300,000 youth in America with juvenile arthritis,” says Kelly, “and research is the key. It can rob our youth of their childhood – people need to know that arthritis is not only a disease that afflicts you as you age. It is our goal at ANRF to educate America about the devastating effects of arthritis on young people, too.”

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Since 1970, the Arthritis National Research Foundation has been committed to funding the next generation of research scientists by providing annual grants to promising young investigators with innovative research projects in the germinal stage. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability from which 46 million American adults and 300,000 children suffer. Arthritis comprises more than 100 different diseases, including osteoarthritis, gout, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and other forms of autoimmune diseases studied by ANRF scientists. Since 2000, ANRF has given more than $6 million in research grants. For more information about the Kelly Award and ANRF, call 800-588-CURE or visit www.curearthritis.org.

Win EA Sports Active and a Nintendo Wii!

2006-07-07T19:16:00.000-07:00

In honor of July as Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month, I am offering 1 lucky reader the chance to win a Nintendo Wii game console and a copy of EA Sports Active game. The Wii was donated by designer Jordan Silver of Ag Apparel: "Adaptive Clothing With No Boundaries" and the EA Sports Active game was donated by EA Sports Active Community Manager, Kathryn Peck. I recently gave a review of the EA Sports Active game which can be found on Peck's Challenger Diaries page of the game product site.

Since the Wii gave me the opportunity to engage in sports that I never was able to because of my arthritis, I want to hear your stories of overcoming obstacles. To enter, leave a comment telling your story or that of someone you nominate. We will choose a winner at random on August 8, 2009.

If you're on Twitter, you can receive an additional entry if you Tweet the following:
I just entered to win a Wii and EA Sports Active game. You can too at @KellyRouba's blog: http://kellyrouba.blogspot.com

If you're a blogger, you can receive an additional entry if you blog about the contest.

All entries MUST be received by 3:00pm on August 8, 2009.
More about EA Sports Active from EASportsActive.com

We get it: in the battle of couch versus gym, the couch usually wins. It’s so much easier to find an excuse than to actually do the workout. But what if your gym was two feet away from the couch and your workout was actually fun to do? Meet EA SPORTS Active, the motivating fitness program you can do at home at any time. With over 25 calorie-burning, muscle-toning exercises and activities, daily progress reports, and encouraging virtual personal trainers, you’ll get gym-worthy results without even thinking of making an excuse!

Juvenile Arthritis: The Ultimate Teen Guide

2006-04-13T06:03:00.000-07:00

Kelly just released her debut book, Juvenile Arthritis: The Ultimate Teen Guide in which she shares her own story and the stories of various kids, teens and young adults who suffer from arthritis. Kelly's mission was to write a book that kids and families could read to find answers and to feel like they are not alone in the world.

In addition to Kelly's story, she features Amanda White, a college freshmen who suffered through her figure skating competitions, Shaun-Marie Robbins, a new mom who went off all of her medication while pregnant with her son and Kristen Delaney, a teenager who had to travel 4 hours just to see her doctor showing that there is an immediate need for more Pediatric Rheumatologists. The book also features Seth Ginsberg, fellow arthritis sufferer and founder of CreakyJoints.com who honored Kelly with their CJ Superstar-Volunteer of the Year award in 2008.

Supporting the personal stories are medical research, statistics and Internet resources for families. Maintaining a fitness routine is also important for individuals with arthritis. From yoga to the Nintendo Wii, there are many options that are gentle yet affective for staying in shape. Eating healthy is also stressed with dietary options like Gluten Free eating or herbal supplements.

To order your copy of Kelly's book, visit Amazon.com. If you're already purchased and read the book, feel free to leave your recommendations at Amazon for others who are looking for a helpful resource on Juvenile Arthritis.

Show your support for Kelly by saving and posting her badge(shown above) on your website and link it to the Amazon site.