The Rheumatology Research Foundation launched the #RheumChampion initiative in 2020 to amplify the voices of rheumatology patients and caregivers across the country. Get to know each of our current champions and learn how you can join the program at rheumlab.org.
Meet #RheumChampion Alan Brewington. His hobbies include hiking, photography, reading, blogging, eating cookies, traveling and road biking.
While Alan has dealt with rheumatoid arthritisThe most common autoimmune type of arthritis. In RA, your body’s immune system begins to react against its own tissues, causing significant inflammation in your... most of his life, it, along with his degenerative disk disease, osteoarthritisOsteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disease that most often affects middle age to elderly people. It is commonly referred to as "wear and tear"... and bilateral hip dysplasia, were accelerated after a fall in 2003.
Despite the pain he experiences, Alan continues to make time to do the activities he loves like hiking.
“How I choose and want to live my life is to keep going, keep trying new things, keep wandering around and see what happens…I will push myself while I’m on my hikes because the higher you go, the cooler the scenery gets.”
Alan is proud to be a #RheumChampion and says the Rheumatology Research Foundation’s work is “a beacon of hope.” He’s thankful that researchers are exploring new options to create a better tomorrow for patients like him.
In my head, options equal hope and that gives me a lot of comfort and a lot of desire to keep working towards a higher, better quality of life for myself.
Alan notes it’s important for new caregivers of rheumatic diseaseRheumatic disease is an umbrella term that refers to arthritis and several other conditions that affect the joints, tendons, muscle, ligaments, bones, and muscles (arthritis... patients to have access to resources that help them better understand what their loved ones are going through. One reason the Foundation created the Rheumatology Lab is to help caregivers learn about the latest rheumatic diseaseRheumatic disease is an umbrella term that refers to arthritis and several other conditions that affect the joints, tendons, muscle, ligaments, bones, and muscles (arthritis... research and get explanations of common rheumatology terms.
For rheumatic diseaseRheumatic disease is an umbrella term that refers to arthritis and several other conditions that affect the joints, tendons, muscle, ligaments, bones, and muscles (arthritis... patients like Alan, every day can bring new challenges. However, he has an inspiring message about how it doesn’t have to stop you from living the life you want to live.
“Sometimes you just kind of have to do it and see what happens. And then make adjustments from there or try again tomorrow. If it didn’t go well, try something else because that’s what life is supposed to be about.”
Interested in learning more about Alan? Follow him on Instagram at @abrewington.
Together, we can improve the lives of those like Alan living with a rheumatic diseaseRheumatic disease is an umbrella term that refers to arthritis and several other conditions that affect the joints, tendons, muscle, ligaments, bones, and muscles (arthritis.... Give to the Foundation now at https://www.rheumresearch.org/donate.