A Wealth of Achievements

Q: What were the early days of AC&R like?

A: It was an exciting time! The journal has come a long way from the early days, when it was a real struggle but very rewarding. At first, it was part of the Arthritis Foundation, and then it was moved over to the ACR. It’s now a highly respected journal, and I like to think I had a small part in that. The ACR and many individuals have really moved it forward.

Q: What aspects of the ACR and ARHP have been most valuable to you professionally?

A: The ACR and ARHP represent all the members of the rheumatology care team. The organizations bring physicians together with nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, occupational and physical therapists, social workers, psychologists, and patients. I enjoy ARHP because it gives me a chance to interact outside the clinic with these other rheumatology professionals, giving us an opportunity to learn more about how our colleagues in other healthcare professions contribute to the care of patients with these diseases. We learn from each other, and I don’t see territorial issues like you sometimes hear about with other groups.

ARHP Award

ARHP Addie Thomas Service Award

Susan J. Wright, OT

Occupational Therapist, Department of Pediatric Rheumatology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City

Background: Wright has worked in the field of pediatric rheumatology for more than 30 years. The changes that have occurred in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with rheumatic illnesses during this time have been monumental and probably would have seemed unrealistic to anyone who, in the late 1970s, was guessing what the future held for children with rheumatic diseases. But Wright believes that she has always been able to provide assistance to young patients with rheumatic diseases and their families, whether she is splinting a joint or assessing psychometric functioning. Each year, the ARHP presents the Addie Thomas Service Award in honor of its first president, Addie Thomas, to recognize members who have been active volunteers with local, regional, and national arthritis-related activities. Over the past 20 years, Wright has been the recipient of more than a half-dozen community service awards from state, regional, and national arthritis advocacy organizations.

Wright received her occupational therapy degree from the University of Kansas. She worked for three years as an OT in pediatrics, and found a special affinity for children with rheumatologic disorders. The field was rewarding, she says, because she and her colleagues were able to make a difference in the lives of these children with exercise, splinting, pain management, and even teaching the very young ones how to swallow pills. Today, rheumatology professionals can provide even more help with the variety of medications that are available, but Wright still notes with pride the accomplishments of those days in the not-too-distant past.