John Lynch was a promising young athlete, but in the spring of 1959, at the age of eleven, he was struck with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), a chronic, painful and disabling disease that today affects 300, 000 children in America and makes them unable to live full-functioning, pain-free lives. Children with JRA are sometimes called Katfish, a name that derives from Kids and Teens’ Families Investing Support and Hope. John sought treatment continually, but not until age fifty-three did he receive the ‘miracle drug’ that enabled him to sustain a thirty-year-long legal practice. During that time, he dedicated his life to helping others who suffered from JRA, and became a renowned advocate for easing their distress. In addition to chronicling John’s journey from victim to advocate, Return of the Old Katfish includes the stories of courageous children who fought through agony to carve out successful lives. These tales will give hope and inspiration to all those who are afflicted with a chronic illness and to anyone who must overcome a seemingly insurmountable obstacle in order to lead a happy and meaningful life.
Table of Content
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Childhood Living before Juvenile Arthritis
Chapter 2. Childhood Living with Juvenile Arthritis
Chapter 3. Adolescence
Chapter 4. College and Early Work Life
Chapter 5. Law School
Chapter 6. Lawyer and Father
Chapter 7. The Pressures of Life
Chapter 8. The Odyssey of Virgil and Geraldine Howell
Chapter 9. The Aftermath
Chapter 10. My Own Odyssey
Chapter 11. Death of a Friend
Chapter 12. Trial and Error
Chapter 13. Crisis
Chapter 14. The Hand of Fate Is on Me Now
Chapter 15. The Horns of a Dilemma
Chapter 16. Be It Resolved
Chapter 17. That Terrible Day: September 11, 2001
Chapter 18. Becoming a Public Advocate
Chapter 19. Perseverance Through Adversity
Chapter 20. Success from Failure
Chapter 21. Profiles in Courage
Chapter 22. Earnestly Do I Hope
Chapter 23. The Great Task Before Us: The Cure
Epilogue
Author’s Note
The Juvenile Arthritis Project
About the Author
Wake
Appendix for Attorneys and Aficionados of the Law
Resources
About the author
John Lynch, now seventy-three, has had rheumatoid arthritis since 1959. He and his wife, Vivian, have two children: a daughter, Monica, and a son Matt.Lynch holds a BA in chemistry from the University of Washington, an MBA in accounting from the University of Oregon, and a JD from Gonzaga University. In addition to being a retired member of the Washington State Bar Association, he holds a CPA certificate from the Washington State Board of Accountancy.
From 1978 to 2007 John was in the private practice of law as a sole proprietor, specializing in plaintiff personal injury & wrongful death cases, estate planning, and probate. For twenty years he was a volunteer advocate for the Great West Region of the Arthritis Foundation. The region honored him with its 2002 Advocacy Award and 2009 Inspirational Leadership Award. In 2013 he was the honoree for the foundation’s Inland Northwest Jingle Bell Run.
Through the foundation’s annual advocacy summits in Washington, D.C., John Lynch and many others have advocated for Medicare coverage of biological drugs for inflammatory arthritis administered to patients during office visits with their rheumatologists. In the U.S. Congress and state legislatures, they raise awareness about arthritis, including juvenile arthritis, and advocate for the appropriation of public resources sufficient to prevent, control, and cure this chronic, painful, and disabling condition.
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