Hoosiers show spirit in Jingle Bell Run

INDINAPOLIS (WISH) - If you don't have some form of Arthritis, chances are you know someone who does. The Arthritis Foundation says the disease is the nation's leading cause of disability.

There are plenty of stories why people braved cold weather for Saturday's 20th Annual Jingle Bell Run.

It's about raising funds for Arthritis. We're hoping to raise $125,000; half of that will go to research and half of that will stay in our state to help people with Arthritis, Tammy Sander with the Arthritis Foundation said.

There are stories like Zach and Haley Fitzgerald and how their mom found relief for their arthritis.

It's called Mona Vie. It's a juice, a fruit juice and it's for joint health. So far it's really working well, they're off of their medications," Mindy Fitzgerald said.

And stories of "Up and Running," a program for young runners in Lawrence for students in fourth grade through high school. They had 550 kids running in the Jungle Bell Run.

For some half the fun was showing up for a costume contest.

"I'm a physician's assistant with OrthoIndy and so we see a lot of patients with Osteoarthritis. Rhumatoid Arthritis everyday," one participant said.

"My mother actually has a form of Arthritis and I work in the health care field as a consultant for employee benefits and we see the costs associated with the disease and it was just a natural fit," another participant explained.

More people are running in the event each year.

"This event is 20-years old today, so a lot of it has to do with repeat customers. A lot of it has to do with some really serious runners who like this event. But more and more, year after year we're getting more and more people because they have Arthritis or know someone who does," Sander said.

That's the real reason why more than 2,500 people took part this year's event.
The Indiana chapter of the Arthritis Foundation says 1.4 million adults in Indiana have some form of Arthritis and 6,400 kids also have the disease. That's nearly one out of every five people in the state.

WISH-TV was once again a proud sponsor of the Jingle Bell Run.