Published in Rite Up, 2026 – Issue 2.
Much of life is about blossoming into the person you are meant to be. For 17-year-old Ivette, her experience with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) has shaped that journey. JIA is a condition that can cause persistent joint pain, swelling and stiffness.
“I remember turning 14 and feeling a pain in my wrist,” Ivette says. “After that, it wasn’t just my hand anymore. It was my fingers and my feet. I was scared.”
Determined to understand what was causing her pain, Ivette’s parents found answers when they were referred to Lorien A. Nassi, M.D., pediatric rheumatologist at Scottish Rite for Children.
“Before, we felt like no one was really listening,” Ivette says. “We got to Scottish Rite and finally felt heard. I didn’t think it was possible to have arthritis at such a young age.”
Each year, JIA is diagnosed in about 4 to 14 out of every 100,000 children. For her parents, Ivette and Jaime, the diagnosis validated the concerns their daughter had for years. “It was strange — it almost felt like happiness because at least now we knew there was a treatment,” her mother, Ivette, says.
Today, Ivette manages her pain with injectable treatments, including naproxen and methotrexate. The pain from JIA is not just physical though — it has taken a toll on Ivette’s emotional well-being, too.
“Mental health is a vital part of overall health, especially for patients navigating chronic medical conditions,” says pediatric psychologist Caroline M. Roberts, Ph.D. “I’m so proud of Ivette’s strength and resilience throughout her journey. Watching her grow has been truly inspiring.”
With guidance from Dr. Roberts, Ivette has planted seeds of resilience that are already blooming, as her treatments have allowed her to run a flower business.
“Flowers are a special thing,” Ivette says. “For me, it’s not about the money. I just love seeing how happy people get.” What started out as a thoughtful gift to one friend, turned into a passion project. Now, Ivette creates dozens of unique bouquets each year. “Even though I have this condition, I now have the ability to work,” she says. “That’s something I didn’t have before.”
Looking ahead, she is eager to graduate high school and pursue a degree in business so she can dedicate herself to creating bouquets full time — a dream her family knows is entirely within reach. “She has no limits,” says her father, Jaime. “If she wants to do something, she will.”
