A ugust 18, 1993 • T he P ortland O bserver
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Why Arthritis Stops In Pregnant Women
A study published in the August
12 New E ngland Journal o f M edicine
and funded by the A rthritis Founda
tion suggests new answers to why
w omen with rheumatoid arthritis (R A )
often have the symptoms o f their
disease go away w hile pregnant and
then return after pregnancy. The
explanation could lead to new treat
m ents to block the reactions that
cause RA in all people with the
disease, according to the A rthritis
Foundation
T he study, conducted by J. Lee
Nelson, M .D .. and colleagues at the
Fred H utchinson Cancer Research
Center in Seattle, was funded by na
tional grants from the A rthritis Foun
dation, grants from the W ashington
State Chapter o f the A rthritis Foun
dation. and the N ational Institutes of
Health.
Researchers analyzed 46 preg
nancies in 38 women with rheum a
toid arthritis. They compared women
vv hose arthritis improv ed during preg
nancy with women whose arthritis
remained active. The study found that
the majority of w omen (76%) whose
arth ritis went away or im proved
showed greater differences between
their own genetic make-up and that of
the fetus, which is made up of genetic
material from both mother and fa
ther.
The genetic areas studied in
cluded three specific HLA antigens
known to be associated with rheuma
toid arthritis. HLA antigens are pro
teins on the surface of cells that are
highly individual from person to per
son It is though, that some element of
the m other's immune response is af
fected by the presence of the different
HLA protein from the fetus, which
causes a reduction in the m other’s
arthritis symptoms.
The exact nature of the process
that takes place is not yet known. One
possibility is that the reduction in RA
symptoms is caused by a modified
antibody response by the m other’s
im m une system to different HLA
m aterial o f the fetus, which the
m other’s body views as partially for-
This study may help us find what
goes wrong with someone’s immune
system to cause rheumatoid arthritis
eign
Another possibility is that cer
tain molecules from the fetus, which
are unlike the mother’s might com
pete with or displace the m other’s
molecules at a specific stage in the
immune response. This causes the
m other’s immune sy stem, which pre
viously had produced RA symptoms,
to react differently and no longer
velop new ways to treat the disease
based on blocking a step in the in
flam m ation process,” said A rthur
Grayzel, the Arthritis Foundation's
senior v ice president for medical af
fairs.
The Arthritis Foundation esti
mates that2. 1 million Americans have
rheumatoid arthritis, the disease af
fects between two to three times more
“Lucky” Spider Helps
Vancouver Woman
"D o n ’t kill spiders or nothing
good will happen to you!” T h a t’s the
adv ise that Ruth Dohman. 74, always
giv es to her sister. Margaret Nicmey er.
It’s possible that Ruth just might be
on to something. O n Friday, August
6, Ruth found a large spider in the
Vancouver, W ashington, home she
shares w ith Margaret. Although Mar
garet wanted to destroy it, Ruth car
ried the spider outside to safety She’s
pretty sure that brought her good luck.
A regular player w ho enjoy s all
Lottery games. Ruth Visited Jantzen
Beach Center in Portland the same
a fte rn o o n a n d p u rc h a se d a $3
Powerball Quick Pick ticket at Blue
Heron Coffee. Although she watched
the drawing on Saturday. August 7,
Ruth didn’t check her numbers. When
she w ent back to the store y esterday,
she asked them to check her ticket
from Saturday. T h a t’s when she
learned she had matched all five regu
lar numbers (white balls) to win a
$100,000 prize.
Accompanied by her nephew,
Charles Dohman. and his wife Jill.
Ruth visited Lottery headquarters to
day to claim her prize. After 28 per
cent was withheld for federal taxes,
she receiv ed a check for $72,000.
women than men. Rheumatoid ar
thritis is a reaction by the body ’s
immune or defense sy stem that iden
tifies the body’sow n tissue as foreign.
It results in inflammation and thick
ening of the joint lining or sy novial
membrane. The inflamed join, lining
inv ades and damages bone and carti
lage. The joint loses it's shape and
alignm ent causing pain, loss of move
ment and eventually complete de
struction o f the join,.
F o r fre e b ro c h u re s a b o u t
Rheuatoid Arthritis and Arthritis and
Pregnancy, contact the W ashington
State Chapter of the Arthritis Foun
dation. 100 So. King, Suite 330, Se
attle WA 98104, or call 1-800-542-
0295.
The Arthritis Foundation is the
source of help and hope for an esti
mated 37 mi Ilion Americans w ho have
arthritis. The foundation supports
research to find ways to cure and
prevent arthritis and seeks to improve
develop RA.
“This study may help us find
w hat goes wrong with someone’s
immune sy stem to cause rheumatoid
arthritis and will possibly help de
Citij Of Vancouver And The
Columbia River Renaissance Program
"M argaret always gets upset with
me when I'm lucky." Ruth Laughed,
“but it's because 1 don’t kill spiders.”
And she said it’s not the first time this
has happened. “About a year ago I
rescued a spider and then 1 won $2,500
play ing Keno.” Ruth said.
A retired floor supervisor for
Nabisco in Portland, Ruth said she
hasn't made definite plans for her
prizewinnings yet. She enjoys Reno
and Las Vegas, so she expects to visit
there soon, in addition to spending
some time with family members in
California. And she’ll certainly keep
on rescuing spiders.
public are welcome.
Event: Columbia Renaissance
Trail Dedication
Date: Tuesday, August 24,1993
Location: Waterfront Park (next
to W ho S ong & L a r r y ’s
restaurant on E. Columbia Way)
P rogram : 5pm Vancouv er USA
V olkssporters will sponsor a
“Renaissance” welcome 5K walk
from W aterfront Park to Marine
Park. Charter members and the
Includes:
• 6-7pm Vancouver Pops
Orchestra
• 7-7; 20pm Dedication Ceremony
• 7:20- 8pm Vancouver Pops
Orchestra
• 8pm Event Concludes
O th e r: Tours o f the Waterfront pro
vided by C-Tran.
Food: Hot dog/pop/chips will be
required, and all those who audi
tion w ill be inv olv ed in some aspect
o f the production, says Connie
Irwin, coordinator of the city s C iti
zens of Disability program
The fashion show will take
place Saturday, Sept. 25 at Lepke
Center, 1009 E McLoughlmBlvd.,
Vancouv er. The even ing wi 11 begin
with a silent auction from 6 to 7pm,
followed by the fashion show and
entertainm ent from 7 to 8pm, and a
dance from 8 to 10pm The dance
will feature music by The Sound
Supply. Tickets for the entire event
are $5 per person
To contribute items for the si
lent auction or for more informa
tion, call Irwin at 696-8218; or
Cathy Sherick, Southwest Wash
ington Special Olympics, at 699-
0566.
The second annual “It's A
Fashionable Life” fashion show is
com ing up in Septem ber, and
people of all ages and abilities are
needed as models. Auditions will
be from 6 to 7; 30pm Thursday,
August 19 in the Bagley Center
cafeteria. 4100 Plomondon, V an
couver The fashion show is a
fundraiser for the Vancouv cr Parks
and Recreation Department 's Citi
zens of Disability program and
Southw est W ashington Special
Olympics
Sandra Monson, a teacher at
Kidz and Company , a local model
ing and entertainm ent group, will
lead the choreographed produc
tion M odels will w ear leisure,
back-to-school, career and formal
w ear fashion One or two weekly
rehearsals prior to the show will be
V ancouver Parks and R ecre
ation D epartm ent sum m er pro
gram s for children will come to an
end in M id-August due to school
schedule changes
The Play ground and U S De
partm ent o f A griculture (USDA)
food programs will end Friday,
A ugust 13 Preschool Day Camp.
Y outh Day C am p, Y outh Day
Camp and Fun Wagon programs
wi 11 wrap up their activities Wednes
day, August 18
Sofar this y car th ccitv’s Youth
Serv ice Department has offered ser
vices to over 20.000 children in
various programs, and served over
11.000 USDA lunches
For details on the fall program
schedules, call (206) 696-8065
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T he second annual Portland
W om en's golf Invitational, a benefit
for City of Hope National Medical
Center, will be held at the Oregon
Golf Club on Monday, October 11,
1993.
Indiv idual and team registration
is now being accepted. Cost for the
entire day’s activities is $150 per
person, and includcsa full day of golf,
use of a cart, lunch, dinner, auction,
team awards and tee prizes.
Carol Falk of Portland is this
year’s honorary chairperson Last year
the event raised $15,000 for City of
Hope and the honorary chairperson
i
Applicants must be city residents
and a Columbia Cable subscriber.
Commission meetings arc the first
Wednesday of each month a, 7:30pm
a, City Hall, 210 East 13th Street in
Vancouv cr The length of term is five
years w ith a maximum of two terms
The term of this position will expire
in April of 1998
Applications arc available by
contact! ng Marie Day. Vancouver City
Hall, P O Box 1995, Vancouver, WA
98668-1995 or by calling 696-8211
(FAX 696-8049). Applications must
be submitted by September 13,1993.
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was Molly Crowley.
Proceeds form the ev ent will ben
efit City of Hope National Medical
Center. Founded in 1912 and located
in Duarte, California, City of Hope is
recognized as a world leader in the
advanced research and treatment of
cancer including leukemia and dia
betes as well as research in AIDS,
Alzhcimer’sand many hereditary and
genetic disorders.
For more information on the golf
outing, committee involvement or to
have an invitation sent to you, call the
City of Hope office at 1-800-934-
9196.
Food Court Offers
Nine Restaurants
City Invites Applicants
The City of Vancouver is seeking
applicants to fill a vacancy on the
City/County Cable Television Com
mission The commission serves in
an adv isory capacity to the City Coun
cil and the Board ofCounty Commis
sioners on matters relating to cable
television franchises. The commis
sion makes reports, monitors compli
ance and establishes rules and regula
tions for processing applications for
franchises
Four members arc appointed by
the City Council and four members by
the Board of C'ountv Commissioners
available for purchase for
a
cost of $1.00. (Proceeds benefit
the Columbia River Renaissance
Project)
Sponsors: City of Vancouver,
Colum bia River R enaissance
Project. Vancouver USA Volks
sporters, The Colum bian, C-
Tran, Frito-Lay, Handcarts West
(o th e r sp o n so rs a re b ein g
sought).
LP oïtiand. QTc omsr>
Fashion Show Models Sought
CITY PLAYGROUND
SCHEDULE CHANCE
the quality o f life for those affected by
arthritis.
The Fred H utchinson Cancer
Research Center is an independent,
non-profit institute dedicated to the
elimination of cancer. It is one of 27
comprehensiv e cancer centers nation
wide officially designated and sup
ported by the National Cancer Insti
tute. The Hutchinson Center serves
the five Northwest states o f Washi ng-
ton, Alaska. Oregon. Idaho, and
Montana. I, has earned an interna
tional reputation for its excellence in
basic, clinical, and cancer prevention
research; for training scientists from
all over the world; and for its commit
ment to community serv ice and out
reach activities.
Contact Susan Edmonds, Media
R elations M anager, at the Fred
Hutchinson Cancer Research Center,
206-667-2896 for more information
about Dr. Nelson’s research on rheu
matoid arthritis and pregnancy .
Hungry shoppers will feel right
at home at Vancouver M all's new
“ Food Court At the Lodge ” Part of
the m all's multinullion dollar reno
vation, the 450 seat food court
offers nine restaurants to satisfy
the most diverse appetites
Located on the m all’s second
level, the food court is cheerfully
decorated in a contemporary lodge
motif and features lodge style fur
niture with natural wood and red.
yellow, silver and green accents A
rooftop sky light brightens the court
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and a glass wall offers diners a
spectacular view of Mt. Hood.
Food court restaurants include
Am erican Fries, M anchu Wok,
M cDonald’s, Orange Julius, Para
dise Bakery, Hot Dog on a Stick,
Sbarro Italian Eatery. Taco Time
and Kojo's of Japan
A vivid 35 foot sign structure
marks the interior entrance to the
Food Court at the Lodge. Colorful
sculpted fish follow a blue neon
arrow as they leap toward the food
court.
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