Sara McLinden: a strong spirit
Share Your Experience > Sara McLinden: a strong spirit
While rheumatoid arthritis may limit Sara McLinden’s physical activity, her strong spirit and bright attitude keep her vibrant and successful.
Sara was a once a competitive varsity tennis player with aspirations to play through her college years. But, her life changed dramatically when she was 15 and began experiencing pain in her elbows, knees, shoulders, and lower back.
“There were days when she simply couldn’t get out of bed,” says her father John McLinden, “which is so unlike her because she was always the one leading the charge.”
After seeing several doctors and specialists, Sara was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. “We found ourselves faced with a condition where there was no set route for treating the symptoms,” says Sara’s mother Betsy McLinden. “It was a frustrating process, and the onus was on our family to learn everything we could.”
While combination therapies have helped manage Sara’s pain over the past few years, she still has severe flare-ups and other medical issues that often accompany RA, including numb fingers and irritable bowl syndrome. It’s a lot for anyone to deal with, especially a 21-year-old college student who is in the prime of her life.
“She operates under a new normal that includes pain,” says Betsy. “But, she lives a vibrant life and never complains.”
Betsy worries about Sara’s future and how the disease will progress. She also worries if Sara will be able to have children. “I want Sara to have a good quality of life,” says Betsy. “It’s not clear how she will tolerate the medications over the long run and what additional challenges she will face with the disease as she ages.”
But, Betsy is heartened by Sara’s strength and positive attitude, which has been an inspiration to her entire family—so much so that John ran the Boston Marathon earlier this year in her honor to raise money and awareness for RA.
“Sara’s struggles have had a profound effect on our entire family,” says John. “I couldn’t just sit around and do nothing—I wanted to make a difference.” So, John sent a letter to family, friends and colleagues telling them that he was dedicating the race to Sara to help raise funds for the research and advancement of RA.
“The response was overwhelming,” he says. “ We received an amazing amount of support and good wishes from so many people.” John’s efforts, in fact, raised almost $150,000, all of which was donated to the ACR Research and Education Foundation's Within Our Reach campaign.
While Sara is encouraged by her family’s love and support, she doesn’t want to be treated differently because of her RA. She is careful to balance the lifestyle of a carefree college student with the responsibility of a young woman living with a chronic disease. This means giving up many of the activities that she loves, including tennis, jogging, and some social outings with friends.
But, Sara clearly has found a balance that works. As a junior at the University of Virginia, she is studying biomedical engineering and economics and already has a job lined up at an investment firm on Wall Street when she graduates.
“When you see Sara, you’ll see a beautiful young lady walking down the street—not jogging or carrying a tennis racket—still living a full, active life,” says John. “We are so proud of all that she’s accomplished and hopeful for what the future holds for her.”
John and Betsy McLinden are currently serving as Ambassadors for the Within Our Reach Leadership Council.
