UA athletics' luncheon is big assist for arthritis center

For the past several years, Greg Byrne has followed in a time-honored tradition established by UA Athletics: Assisting the University of Arizona Arthritis Center.

“Arthritis doesn’t discriminate. It can impact very athletic people and those who aren’t involved in sports at all, and it affects everyone, whether personally or through a family member of someone they know,” said Byrne, UA athletics director, who will team with Brian Jeffries, the “voice of the Wildcats,” as guest speakers for the center’s 2016 Bear Down Luncheon on April 21.

“I feel fortunate that we can support the arthritis center and I know their great care and research are making a difference for so many people.”

Byrne is the latest in a long line of top UA athletic officials who have supported the center since then-men’s basketball coach Lute Olson first championed the cause with a benefit golf tournament almost 30 years ago.

The long-term partnership has paid off, raising more than $1.7 million for the center.

In the last five years the luncheon has evolved into the center’s sole fundraiser with Byrne at the helm.

At the luncheon Byrne said he will talk about intercollegiate athletics on the local and national levels and share new developments within Wildcat sports, which he believes bring the community together.

“I think UA athletics are something we have embraced as a community without regard to political or religious beliefs or socioeconomic status. We can all be united to cheer and support something that puts our community in a very positive light,” he said.

Byrne said the arthritis center is another great source of pride for the university and the city.

“The work they are doing at the arthritis center is providing research and treatments to combat the devastating impact of arthritis for so many people in our community, our state and really our country,” he said.

“It speaks volumes about UA that we can have leading researchers and medical providers ... in our community, and we need to do everything we can to support their cause.”

Center Director Dr. C. Kent Kwoh said the support from the athletics department has been “priceless” as the center pursues its mission to discover the cause, treatments and ultimately cures for arthritis.

In addition to facilitating research, the money raised also supports community awareness and education programs such as the free “Living Healthy With Arthritis” lecture and series designed to improve quality of life for those living with arthritis and provide information about treatment options available locally, nationally and internationally.

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Kwoh said outreach is more vital than ever since arthritis remains the most debilitating disease in the United States, with 53 million people experiencing its effects each day.

“Unfortunately with arthritis there is a lot of misunderstanding out there: Many people think that there is nothing you can do about it and you just have to live with it and that it isn’t as serious as cancer or heart disease,” Kwoh said.

“But newer research suggests certain forms of arthritis are linked to a shorter life span. Many people don’t realize that certain forms of inflammatory arthritis like Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis are linked with cardiovascular disease: The inflammation that occurs in joints also occurs in the heart,” Kwoh said.

Osteoarthritis — the most common of the more than 100 forms of arthritis as well as the greatest cause of disability in the elderly — has been linked to a shortened life span as well, Kwoh said.

“It is is very important for people to realize there are really good newer treatments available in terms of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic approaches, and we stress both. People just need to seek treatment.

“Unfortunately there is a shortage of rheumatologists nationwide and here in Tucson as well, so we are partnering with Banner Health to recruit more rheumatologists to better serve the community,” he said.

In addition to rheumatology, the center utilizes a wide range of disciplines, including integrative medicine, epidemiology, public health, exercise physiology, nutritional sciences, podiatry and biomechanics.

It also prides itself on research with a range of specialists in orthopedic surgery and geriatrics, immunology, medical imaging and pharmacology.

Kwoh said another key aspect of outreach is the message about prevention.

One of the most important risk factors for osteoarthritis is joint injury.

Therefore, athletes and weekend warriors need to be aware not only that they are at higher risk for developing arthritis, but they are also at risk for earlier onset.

Obesity is also a risk factor for many types of arthritis.