While students know Jennifer Vido as Madame Vido, the rest of the world recognizes this French teacher as a national spokesperson for the Arthritis Foundation of America.
At eight years old, Vido was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA). Although this condition has caused her to undergo two hip replacement surgeries, it has also given her the opportunity to reach out to others by promoting awareness of this disease.
“I have my good and I have my bad days. It’s a chronic disease, so it will never go away, but medicine and treatment helps with the very painful swelling in my joints” said Vido. According to KidsHealth, over 50,000 children suffer from JRA in the United States, a type of Rheumatoid Arthritis that occurs in children. “Over 300,000 people suffer from arthritis, and many people don’t even know that it can affect kids,” said Vido.
Along with heavy weight boxer Evander Holyfield, Vido speaks out about the effects of JRA and promotes a new program called “Let’s Move Together,” to stress the importance of exercise for those who suffer from JRA.
The goal of ”Let’s Move Together” is to raise the awareness of the importance of exercise for JRA patients and to inform that exercise can actually slow the effects of JRA and help them cope with the condition less painfully. In order to reach out to people in the United States, “Let’s Move Together” has commenced a video contest called, “Show Us Your Moves!” In this contest, people are encouraged to send in a video of them doing anything that shows that they are active. Each monthly winner will receive a flip camera and the grand prize winner will receive a two person vacation package to anywhere they choose.
“If someone exercises healthfully and regularly while suffering from arthritis, joints will last longer, there will be less pain, and they will live a better life,” said Vido.
Most recently, Vido and Holyfield appeared together on October 15 on a Lifetime show called “The Balancing Act” to discuss the program. Throughout the year, Vido has been on two separate media tours. Talking on the show “The Balancing Act” was the first of two. This segment’s purpose was to promote the new website and to raise awareness of arthritis in general. The second of two media tours was centered in New York City, which included talking to health and wellness magazines such as “Family Circle,” “All You,” Health Magazine,” and in the New York Times, a section called “Patient Voices.”
Apart from being a spokesperson, Vido is also a national aquatics and land exercise trainer. She teaches her own classes to adults at Kid’s First Swim three times a week. She also has been featured as a special guest host on a podcast that deals with exercise and wellness in order to live a healthier life.
“I am very proud to be part of the foundation because, although it is unfortunate to be diagnosed with JRA, I have turned a negative aspect of my life into a positive one. For me, I love helping others, but I also doing this for my children. Life is not fair and we all face adversity. We are given the cards that we are dealt and it’s not what we are given, it is what we do with what we are given. No matter what, we have to give back,” said Vido.
For more information on the foundation, go to the “Let’s Move Together” website.
Check out the video segment of Vido and Holyfield on “The Balancing Act.”
Kirby Browning can be reached for comment at [email protected].