CHARCANDRICK WEST has juvenile arthritis. Now he’s dodging tackles in the NFL.
It’s a scene fans of the Kansas City Chiefs football team know well: Charcandrick West crashes into a tackler, spins and breaks free, then shifts into high gear as he races downfield. Yet Charcandrick, now in his fourth season as a running back for the Chiefs, never forgets that he has faced a more challenging opponent: systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA). It appeared at age 14, and symptoms became so severe that one doctor predicted the teen might never walk again, much less play football.
Charcandrick, 26, credits his family and faith with helping him persevere and pursue a career in the National Football League. “I feel like the Lord had a plan for me,” he says. “He got me here, and I was able to live out my dream.”
GLORY, GONE
Charcandrick was an energetic, outgoing kid growing up in Cullen, Louisiana. His first love was baseball, but then his mother, Demetrice, married Toccara Ford, who coached peewee football. In no time, Charcandrick was hooked.
この記事は Arthritis Today の September/October 2017 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Arthritis Today の September/October 2017 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
11 Ways to Build Resilience
Discover ways to overcome adversity and put a positive spin on any setback.
Why Timing Matters
CIRCADIAN RHYTHM MAY INFLUENCE DRUGS’ EFFECTIVENESS.
THE ENEMY WITHIN
UNCONTROLLED INFLAMMATION UNDERLIES MANY CONDITIONS COMMON IN PEOPLE WITH ARTHRITIS. LEARN HOW TO TAMP IT DOWN.
Power of Positivity
POP STAR PAULA ABDUL’S JOYFUL OUTLOOK KEEPS HER DANCING PAST THE PAIN.
Men Who Care
MORE MEN ARE TAKING ON THE TOUGH JOB OF CAREGIVING.
How to Pick the Right Mattress
IT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR YOUR SLEEP AND YOUR PAIN.
A Doctor's Advice
FOR DR. TRAVIS STORK, A SIMPLE TOE INJURY LED TO ARTHRITIS AND BACK SURGERY.
GOOD (FOR YOU) DEEDS
HOW HELPING OTHERS HELPS YOU.
Eating to Ease Gout
WATCHING WHAT YOU EAT MAY REDUCE FLARES – UP TO A POINT.
Bad Isn't Always A Catastrophe
EXAGGERATED FEARS MAY HEIGHTEN PAIN.