Tipton Girl Raises $10,000 for Juvenile Arthritis

Even though 10-year old Graci Diggs has juvenile arthritis, she doesn't let it slow her down. This was evidenced Saturday at the annual Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis in Columbia.

With help of family and neighbors, her “Go Go Go Graci” team raised $10,300. According to an article at Columbiatribune.com, Diggs, the 2015 National Youth Honoree for the Arthritis Foundation, has collected almost 2,500 lbs. of aluminum cans.  Now she didn't do this on her own. Her fundraising efforts were a culmination of family, friends and her community.

Joining Graci for the 1-mile walk on Saturday were her parents Anna and Aaron Diggs, a cousin and an aunt. After a series of mysterious illnesses, Graci was diagnosed at age 4. At first the parents thought it might be cancer but fortunately that wasn't the case. It wasn't until a second round of problems that the family figured it would be a long term, chronic illness.

According to the Arthritis Foundation juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is as common as Type 1 diabetes in people younger than 20 but it is far more often misdiagnosed.