Emma Wenzlick, behind the cake, has been diagnosed with Juvenile Dermatomyositis.

However, her life is currently very different from all of the rest of her fourth-grade classmates. In January 2010, Wenzlick developed severe neck and back pain. After multiple trips to Dayton Children’s and Columbus Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Rheumatologist Dr. Charles Spencer was able to find the source of her pain. She was diagnosed with Juvenile Dermatomyositis in October 2010.

Juvenile Dermatomoysitis is an autoimmune disease that affects approximately 5,000 children in the United States. The primary symptoms of this disease are weak muscles and skin rash.

Unfortunately, Wenzlick’s weakness is so severe that she is only able to attend school two hours a day on a good week. Because she has an autoimmune disease, her immune system is very weak and she is more prone to developing infections. The medications that are given to help treat this disease are also immunosuppressive and this causes her to get sick more frequently and for longer periods of time than most children.