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“Team Fibro Fighter” honored at National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day
ANAHEIM, Calif.—(26 May 2010)— Noah Carrillo, 11, from
Temecula, California was named “Highest Individual Fundraiser” for raising over
$2,000 for the 3rd Annual Walk of F.A.M.E. (Fibromyalgia
Awareness Means Everything) held last May
15 at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF).
Noah’s team called “Fibro Fighters,” participated in the 5K walk
which was part of the day-long activities that also included a Wellness Fair,
educational seminars and concert commemorating National Fibromyalgia Awareness
Day hosted by the National Fibromyalgia
Association (NFA) and the Fibromyalgia Research and Education Center at
CSUF.
Diagnosed in February, Noah rode a trike on the walk trail
around campus. Members of team “Fibro Fighters” consisted of Noah’s mom and
dad, Maria and Gabriel, big sister, Carrissa and friends and other family
members.
“Even though I was in a lot of pain at the end of that day,
it was worth it!” said Noah. “I met one other kid there with fibromyalgia, and
I’m excited to help the NFA tell as many people and kids as we can about this
illness.”
“Just growing pains”
It took over a year and several doctors before Noah was
correctly diagnosed with fibromyalgia, according to Maria Carrillo, Noah’s
mother. “The doctors told us it was just ‘growing pains,’ but we knew in our
hearts that it should not hurt like this just to grow up,” said Maria.
After finding the National Fibromyalgia Association on the
Internet, and doing countless hours of research online, the Carrillos said they
wanted to raise awareness about fibromyalgia, especially among families with
children suffering from fibromyalgia, as well as the Latino community.
“We would love to be apart of being able to reach out to the
Latino community, because in the Latino culture, doctors are very well
respected and even revered, but they’re not always right. Noah's father and I
carry a lot of guilt because the signs were there for so many years; we thought
it was just stress and told Noah to toughen up, things are not that bad.
“We want to tell other families, especially Latinos, that
it’s ok to get a second opinion, or third or fourth! Do everything you can to
find help and treatment options for your child. The NFA has helped us
tremendously. We have learned so much from all of their resources.
Awareness Day helped Noah feel that he does have a purpose and he is not
shy. He wants to reach out to other children and let them know that they are
not alone, because loneliness is one of the worst pain.”
“We
commend Noah and the Carrillos for their dedication and love to one another,
and for helping other children and families with fibromyalgia,” said Lynne
Matallana, president and founder of the National Fibromyalgia Association.
“Fibromyalgia is such a debilitating disease, but especially heartbreaking for
children who should never know such pain in their young lives.”
Read more about Noah Carrillo on the Fibro Fighters Team
page: www.fmaware.org/goto/fightfibro
“Make Fibromyalgia Visible”
“Make Fibromyalgia Visible” was the NFA’s
theme for this year’s National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, officially observed
on May 12. Awareness Day is designed to increase awareness and understanding of
fibromyalgia – a chronic pain disorder usually characterized by chronic
widespread pain, multiple tender points, abnormal pain processing, sleep
disturbances, fatigue and often psychological distress
About the National Fibromyalgia
Association
The National Fibromyalgia
Association is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Anaheim,
California whose mission is: To develop and execute programs dedicated to
improving the quality of life for people with fibromyalgia. The NFA publishes FM Aware magazine, which recently went digital
in 2010. For more information, visit www.fmaware.org.
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