Greetings!

The Cure JM Foundation has always treasured the special role that grandparents play in their families and Cure JM. We hope you enjoy this collection of news specifically for you, our grandparents. 

Best regards,



The Cure JM Grandparent Alliance

Connecting with Grandparents

For ongoing, updated Grandparent programs, support, and opportunities, please visit our dedicated Grandparent Alliance webpage by clicking here.

Grandparent Connect Call

📅 Thursday, November 20th, 2025

🕖 7:00 pm Eastern

Grandparent Connect group meets on the 4th Thursday of every month

The Cure JM Grandparent Connect group is a space for grandparents of children with juvenile myositis to learn, share, and connect. Meet other grandparents, exchange experiences, and discover ways to support families navigating the JM journey.

Cure JM's Executive Director, Jim Minow, shares an update from the American College of Rheumatology Convergence Conference (ACR) - the world's largest gathering of rheumatology and myositis experts.

In this short video, Jim explains how your support as grandparents and loved ones is helping drive real progress in juvenile myositis research and care — from promising new CAR-T clinical trials to expanded access to expert JM centers through our Clinical Care Network.



Every breakthrough begins with families like yours and mine. All gifts through Dec 31 are matched thanks to the Coffey Family Match.

Join us on Tuesday, December 2 at 1PM EST to be part of a global moment of generosity — and a turning point in the fight against juvenile myositis.

This Giving Tuesday, we’re coming together across time zones to connect families, share powerful JM stories, and amplify the momentum driving breakthroughs in treatment and transformational research.

Director of Development, Shannon Malloy, will host special interviews with doctors leading JM research, while James Tealy reports live from London with clinical care leaders from across Europe and the UK.

Grandparents play a meaningful role in this journey—we would love for you to be part of this uplifting event. Click the button below to register!

The holidays can be joyful—and overwhelming. That’s why we’re inviting grandparents, parents, and family supporters to join Ronda Thorington, Cure JM's Mental Health Coordinator, for Finding Calm in Chaos: Managing Stress as a Caregiver, a special webinar designed to help JM caregivers navigate the holiday season with greater ease and emotional balance.

Ronda will share practical tools and strategies to manage holiday stress, maintain emotional balance, and support your family's wellbeing throughout the season. 

👉 Read Ronda’s full November article below, then join her for a special virtual webinar on Wednesday, November 19 from 12-1PM EST.

As a grandparent, your love and support are the heart of your family—and they can also be a beacon of hope for children affected by juvenile myositis. At Cure JM Foundation, we celebrate the vital role grandparents play in shaping a brighter future.

Many of our most dedicated supporters are grandparents like you, committed to making a lasting impact on children’s lives. There are meaningful ways you can help:

• Include a bequest in your will or trust to leave a legacy that lasts for generations.
• Direct your IRA Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) if you’re 73 or older, making a tax-efficient gift.
• Make a gift today to fund critical research and provide support for families navigating JM.

Every gift, in every form, helps bring hope and progress to children and families living with JM. Explore the possibilities for leaving a lasting impact with Cure JM Foundation.

Click below to learn how you can make a difference today.

We rely on families to help advance JM research and improve care for every child and young adult living with JM.

As a grandparent, you play an important role in helping your family stay informed about opportunities to participate in research and clinical studies. Here are several you can pass along to your loved ones (the first three can be completed online from home):

1. Share a Previous Skin Biopsy to Advance Research at UCSF: 

View the flyer here and take the survey here.

2. Complete a NEW Exercise Survey: This new survey takes approximately 5 minutes to complete and will help researchers understand patient and parent views on exercise with JM.

View the flyer here and take the survey here.

3. Complete the PLAY Survey: This study uses an online questionnaire to learn how JDM affects physical activity in children and adults with JDM.

View the flyer here and take the survey here.



4. New sites open for CAR-T clinical trial ages 6+, including adults: Learn more about the trial here and see all locations here.

Share the links with your family to ensure they have access to the latest opportunities to participate in JM research.

Questions? Contact James.Tealy@curejm.org

2026 Local Family Conferences – Mark Your Calendars

Grandparents are invited to join us for a can’t-miss event in partnership with your trusted children’s hospitals. You’ll learn the latest updates in juvenile myositis (JM) research and care and connect with others who share your journey and experiences.

Whether you come with your whole family or just bring yourself, you’ll leave informed, inspired, and connected to a community that understands.

RSVP now for:

• February 28, 2026, Lurie Children’s in Chicago, IL
• March 21, 2026, Montefiore in the Bronx, NY
• March 28, 2026, Seattle Children's, Seattle, WA
• April 11, 2026, Dell Children’s, Austin, TX
• May 16, 2026, Duke, Raleigh-Durham, NC
• More dates and locations coming soon