Kelly

Patient Leader

Location

Drexel Hill, PA

Nominations

Finalist

She began volunteering for organizations that help others living with RA. Recently she cofounded the "International Foundation for Autoimmune Arthritis" and represented PA & NJ on Capitol Hill for the American College of Rheumatology. She advocates for others instead of feeling sorry for herself. — Maureen

Kelly works tirelessly with IFAA to spread awareness for those living with RA. She went to Capitol Hill w/ the American College of Rheumatology and speaks publicly to patients and pharmaceutical companies about living with RA. Kelly also runs IFAA's various social media pages including Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. She is amazing. — Maureen

Kelly is a behind the scenes person who makes IFAA so successful. She runs most of the social media pages for IFAA and has begun to be recognized as a health activist outside of IFAA. She always worked tirelessly for children with autism and now for people with RA. Kelly's focus has always been on service and she deserves to be recognized.

Kelly has always worked to help others. She started an autism program in Uganda and went off all of her RA medicine over 6 months just to be able to go. That took a toll on her body so now she works to advocate for others with RA. She said she never thought this would be her life, but since it is, she wants to help others with RA, too. — Jim

Kelly writes from the heart. She blogs about her real life experiences living with multiple autoimmune diseases and fibromyalgia. Kelly details the ups and down of her chronic life with grace and humor. In addition to her blog, she is the cofounder of IFAA and has twice been an Advocate for Arthritis for the American College of rheumatology. — Maureen

Kelly writes from the heart. She blogs about her real life experiences living with multiple autoimmune diseases and fibromyalgia. Kelly details the ups and down of her chronic life with grace and humor. In addition to her blog, she is the cofounder if IFAA and has twice been an Advocate for Arthritis for the American College of rheumatology..

Not only is Kelly living with RA, fibromyalgia, and more herself, but she also cares for a spoonie dog who lives with syringomyelia and a number of other health issues. Though one or both of them are almost always suffering, she finds a way to share their stories with humor. Whether in a short quip or a full blog, Kelly makes me literally LOL. — Kerry

Kelly is a blog friend turned real life friend in this crazy world of patient advocacy. I've always admired her strength in maintaining a stressful full-time job, her own ongoing chronic health issues, taking care of er elderly parents, and her famous Spoonie pup, Miss Georgia Grace. — MarlaJan

While working full-time as a speech language pathologist AND being a full-time fur mama to her Spoonie pup, Kelly always manages to keep her blog current to what's going on in the RA community. Her passion for advocacy shines through in everything she does. -MarlaJan — MarlaJan