At time when all he should be thinking about is riding his bike, Star Wars and where he will be playing next, Benjamin Yanko is worrying about pain.
The four-year-old has Systemic Idiopathic Juvenile Arthritis.
Almost a year later, the little boy is feeling more like himself.
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“He runs around like a normal four-year-old, he loves to play — the only difference is, he has an injection every night.”
Nathan finds comfort in coming to their first Arthritis Walk in Regina. He’s meeting other families going through the same thing.
David Bussiere’s eight-year-old daughter Ava was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis when she was just five.
Ava’s knees swelled so bad she had to quit playing soccer until treatment worked.
“It was very scary because you learn it’s not something that they grow out of. It’s a disease they have for life, and it’s something that she will have to deal with her whole life,” Bussiere said.
According to Arthritis Canada, more than 4.6 million Canadian adults and children experience its effects everyday.
There is no cure, but treatment has come a long way, and arthritis can go into remission. Something that Nathan hopes will happen for his son.
“I hope he is able to continue on the path he is on, and I hope he doesn’t have to take the daily injections anymore. He sure doesn’t like those,” Nathan said.