Sitting in the conference room of her government office, Robin Ruppert, 44, is relaxed, well-spoken and funny. She is decidedly one of those people who contracted a horrible, debilitating disease and basically — with medical help, a good attitude and some luck — kicked its butt.
“I got sick in 2003,” Ruppert said of contracting Still’s Disease, a rare form of arthritis, “and basically spent the next 18 months in a fetal position.”
Now, with her illness in remission, the Bothell resident spends part of her days stumping for the Arthritis Foundation, sponsors of the 26th annual Jingle Bell Run/Walk on Dec. 12 in downtown Seattle.
Last year’s event attracted 12,000 participants and raised $562,000, with a goal of a record $750,000 set for this year. According to the Arthritis Foundation, Seattle’s Jingle Bell run is the largest of some 140 held across the country.
“It’s just a super-fun event,” said Ruppert, who talked about people showing up in holiday costumes and, of course, sporting lots of jingle bells. Ruppert would be running in her second race this year barring an injury not related to her illness. She’ll instead be out volunteering for the Arthritis Foundation on race day.
“We are thrilled that so many Seattleites have included the Jingle Bell Run/Walk in their holiday plans,” said Scott Weaver, president and CEO of the Pacific Northwest chapter of the Arthritis Foundation.
Weaver said it’s estimated that by 2030, 67 million Americans will have been diagnosed with some form of arthritis. It affects some 50 million in the country today, with more than 100 types of arthritis known. Still’s (or adult onset systemic rheumatoid arthritis) is a very uncommon — and judging from Ruppert’s comments, a particularly unfriendly — form of arthritis. It’s not hereditary and strikes about one in 100,000, meaning maybe nine people in the Seattle area have the malady.
According to Ruppert, the illness is referred to as systemic because it can and will attack every part of the body. She also noted that most people think of arthritis as an old-person’s illness, but pointed out she was all of 37 when it stuck her. She added that two-thirds of arthritis sufferers are under 65.
“I was super lucky,” Ruppert said regarding her own struggles, several times crediting the University of Washington’s medical program for her eventual recovery.
“I got better in a series of levels,” Ruppert said, referring to “better living through chemistry.” At one point, she was taking 18 different medications related to her illness. Ruppert stated she has what appear to be track marks from so many blood draws, that if UW, as do credit cards, gave points for frequent use, she’d be a super-elite, platinum member.
While no doubt launching plenty of quips, Ruppert admits to some fears early on.
“I never thought I’d make my 40th birthday,” she said. “If I’d gotten sick 10 years earlier, I’d be crippled.”
When the illness first hit her, Ruppert said she “never played the ‘Why Me?’ game.”
“I did have some self-pity parties about why I couldn’t do this or that,” she added.
Once she went into remission and her routine drug intake dropped to one self-administered shot, Ruppert said she looked around and “just decided I needed to get moving.”
She started taking walks, then realized she wanted to run.
“And I did. And it hurt. Not because of my joints, but because I was in really bad shape,” Ruppert said. “I ran about three blocks and was sucking wind.”
Eventually, Ruppert built up her endurance to the point where she took on the Rock and Roll Half-Marathon in Seattle in March. She admits she hurt her foot to the point she still can’t take part in this year’s Jingle Bell Run, but looks forward to being a volunteer. She previously served as a counselor at an Arthritis Foundation summer camp for youngsters. Ruppert worked with kids in the first through third grades.
“They’re great,” she said. “They still think adults are cool and they’re potty trained.”
Ruppert will volunteer at future camps, as well.
“I can’t imagine not being involved with the foundation,” she said.
