Anonymous
Arthritis Foundation Walk in Santa Barbara in 2018 (Photo: Arthritis Foundation)
By an edhat reader
A lot of people have been getting sick after the Arthritis Foundation Walk. The below is an email from the Arthritis Foundation about the foodborne illness outbreak from the event they hosted in Santa Barbara this past Saturday.
Dear Walk to Cure Arthritis Participants,
The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is investigating a possible Foodborne Illness outbreak following several reports of illness from participants at the Arthritis Foundation Walk at Santa Barbara City College on Saturday, April 27th. The Arthritis Foundation is working with the Health Department and so far, as many as 30 people in attendance are reporting cramping and/or diarrhea that occurred following the event.
Environmental Health Services and Disease Control are actively investigating, and no definitive source of illness has been determined. If you are experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea, please consult your medical provider for evaluation.
Please also contact Disease Control at (805) 681-5280 as they will need additional information to assist with their investigation.
If you would like to speak to someone at the Arthritis Foundation, please do not hesitate to call our local Santa Barbara office at 805-563-4685. We will continue to pass along information to the Health Department as we receive it and provide any updates from the Health Department to our participants.
Thank you.
Michal W. Wiesbrock, Arthritis Foundation
Drink plenty of water . Excessive vomiting and diarrhea+dehydration = Kidney Failure.
I must have missed where it said that besides getting sick that they had arthritis.
Ever notice how the fundraisers for diseases so often involve activities that the sufferers cannot do? A WALK for arthritis? How about a checkers tournament for it, something even people in wheelchairs could participate in? Bingo!
Most curmudgeonly comment ever 🙁
Many many years ago I stopped giving money for “research” of human diseases when I discovered that that “research” typically involves the barbaric, senseless abuse and torture of helpless, hapless animals. For arthritis studies the animal “models” (euphemism of the highest order) are subject to untold horrific experiments. If you donate to such “causes,” you are promoting and condoning vivisection/torture on innocent beings. Poor, defenseless animals. Know that your kindly meant donations end up creating a living hell for countless animals:==========”Inflammatory arthritis is induced in genetically susceptible rats, mice, rabbits and other species by immunization with type II collagen, typically of bovine origin” (reference: https://arthritis-research.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13075-017-1361-6)
Quite obviously, RHS has never been to one of these events. He thinks they are for “ailing” people to “compete” in. LOL.
Surprised it was at this festival not the on and off leash dog park Earth Day Festival has become. Ironic considering the contribution of dog poop to ocean contamination.
Never can I comprehend the reason for such events if it is not to give something for the ailing to do. Certainly competitions by the physically disabled or classes for the mentally confused seem great. But the idea that I should go out and exhibit myself AND PAY to do so is bizarre. Somehow it seems the ego of the participants is more involved than the good they claim to be doing. Just give some money to the cause and stay home next time. (And note the environmentally crappy balloons and plastics).
447 pm: RHS has been to several of these events. What RHS has observed is a lot of narcissism and irrational silliness. RHS never said that the -events were to compete. RHS did suspect they were to show off. RHS never said they were for “ailing” people, in fact RHS approved of events for the purpose of remedying or alleviating ailing people. Next time read what is said and don’t react so defensively.