As the proud mother of three children in the medical field, June Weinstein is very familiar with the need for more research funding for musculoskeletal conditions. In the years leading up to 1994, June had experienced discomfort in her back and could recognize the signs of arthritis. June understood the benefits of staying active and walked five to seven miles a day. In August of that year, June experienced severe back pain on the way home from a walk, which resulted in six weeks of bed rest, and ultimately, surgery.

June's surgery, in September of 1994, corrected two herniated discs in her lower back at the L-4 and L-5 levels, and found nerve root damage which caused drop foot. Her surgery relieved her pain for a year and a half, but since then, June has developed osteoarthritis, kyphoscoliosis and degenerative disc disease and is in daily pain. "It has slowed me down and I notice people treat [me] differently," June explains, although she has not let anything stop her from enjoying life.

Osteoarthritis (OA), or "wear and tear" arthritis, usually develops after years of use and commonly affects those who are middle-aged or older. In OA, the covering on the ends of bones wear away and become frayed and rough, causing painful joints. OA can affect any joint, and can cause significant pain and inflammation, swelling and stiffness, loss of range of motion, joint locking or sticking and weakness. Currently, there is no cure for OA, but early detection can slow the progression of the disease and treatment can relieve symptoms and restore function.

In conjunction with OA, June suffers from kyphoscoliosis, or a backward and lateral curvature of her spine. Kyphoscoliosis is a progressive deformity which can cause immobility of the chest wall and eventually affect breathing. Degenerative disc disease (DDD), the progressive deterioration of the discs that cushion the vertebrae, is another contributor to June's pain. Almost inevitable in the aging process, DDD compresses nerve roots and can cause radiating pain down the legs. DDD can also cause secondary clinical problems like disc herniations, degenerative spinal stenosis and degenerative spondylolisthesis. The cause is unknown for both kyphoscoliosis and DDD, and currently, there is no cure.

June is determined not to let her pain control her life. She still drives, exercises three times a week and has a can-do attitude. Following the suggestion of her daughter Susan, an occupational therapist, June walks with the assistance of a walker. Without it, she would be housebound. "I consider myself a very lucky person in that my problem is not life-threatening--although it can be debilitating... I fight every day to think positive and to maintain my dignity, my independence and my quality of life," June says. June remains very active in her Chicago community and holds volunteer positions at Northwestern Hospital and the American Cancer Society. She maintains her extremely positive outlook on life with the support of her children and grandchildren.

June recognizes that diseases common to the aging population, like OA and DDD, urgently require additional research to find cures and more effective treatments. "Two of my children are orthopaedic surgeons," she says. "Their hands are tied because of lack of funding. As the population ages and we live longer, the conditions that affect me will affect millions of Americans."