Karam Roberts, the Arthritis Society’s speaker, was born with an adventurous spirit. He never imagined arthritis could steal the life she loved. What began as painful, stiff joints soon escalated to fevers, hearing loss, and difficulty breathing. After a rapid decline, Karam was hospitalized and diagnosed with vasculitis—a rare, life-threatening condition linked to inflammatory arthritis that attacks organs and tissue. Living with invisible symptoms, she struggles with being misunderstood. Refusing to let arthritis define her, she continues to adapt and move forward, guided by optimism and determination.“My health always has to come first, something I previously took for granted,” she says.
Photo: Karam Roberts accepts the Influential Woman Award form Tamara Van den Brink, Regional Vice President, Scotia Wealth Management
