Sammie Fish was 14 when juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM, a rare form of juvenile myositis (JM) changed her life in 2017. A doctor’s warning that she might never reach remission, tied to a lifetime of medication, shook her world. But Sammie, now 21, didn’t back down. Today, she’s a college grad, a new teacher in her dream job, and Co-Chair of Cure JM’s Ohio Chapter alongside her mom. She walks for herself, for kids like her, and for a cure. That’s why hundreds of Cure JM families and friends across the nation join Walk Strong, because every step pushes us toward a JM-free future.
For young adults like Sammie, JM is a relentless challenge. Muscle weakness, fatigue, and steroids that swapped physical relief for mental strain marked her high school years. Parents in our rare disease community know this struggle—the isolation of a condition few grasp, the quiet worry for what’s ahead. Anyone who’s held a child through tough times can feel that weight. Yet Sammie turned it into purpose, co-leading Ohio’s Cure JM Chapter to connect with families and kids on the same path. One little girl with JDM became her spark, and their matching “love and hope” bracelets a badge of resilience. That’s the JM journey: tough, but lit by unbreakable bonds.
Here’s the reality: JM’s rarity means research hinges on us. Big pharma often skips diseases touching just thousands of kids, leaving breakthroughs to the Cure JM community. Walk Strong, our signature fundraising event, fills that gap. Every dollar raised powers vital research—new treatments, better options than steroids that take a toll, maybe even a cure. Last year, Walk Strong events nationwide fueled studies and hope. It’s more than funds; it’s a lifeline for families told “there’s no answer” too often. Whether you’re a young adult pushing forward, a parent carrying the fight, or a friend who cares, your steps make it happen.
Sammie’s optimism drives her. She clings to a Miley Cyrus line—“Life’s a climb, but the view is great”—to push past the pain. Her family, friends, and softball team, who still host Cure JM games years after her 2020 graduation, lift her up. She dreams of a steroid that heals without harm, sparing others the side effects she and many JM kids endured. To newly diagnosed families, she offers, “Nobody gets it, but you’re never given more than you can handle.” That’s why she walks: to turn empathy into action, to show a little girl with a bracelet that hope endures.
So, why do we walk? For Sammie. For that little girl. For every family dreaming of a day without JM’s shadow. Walk Strong isn’t just an event—it’s our community—young adults, parents, friends—saying JM won’t define us. Join us at curejm.org/walkstrong. Register. Fundraise. Walk. Share your why with #WhyIWalk. Together, we’re not just climbing—we’re crafting a future where JM fades away. Every step counts. Will you take one?
Want to join Sammie? Walk Strong welcomes everyone—no fee, just a call to raise funds and awareness. Sign up at www.curejm.org/walkstrong, and one of our Walk Managers—Nicole Ryba, Sara Echols, or Betsy Leon—will help you start.
