Return of the Old Katfish

John Lynch was a promising young athlete when, in 1959, at age eleven, he was stricken with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), a chronic, painful and disabling disease that today affects 300,000 children in America and makes them unable to live fully functional, pain-free lives. Children with JRA are sometimes called Katfish, a name that derives from Kids and Teens’ Families Investing Support and Hope. John sought treatment continually, but not until age fifty-three did he receive the “miracle drug” that enabled him to sustain a thirty-year-long legal practice. During that time, he dedicated his life to helping others who suffered from JRA, and became a renowned advocate for easing their distress. In addition to chronicling John’s journey from victim to advocate, Return of the Old Katfish includes stories of courageous children who fought through agony to carve out successful lives. These tales will give hope and inspiration to all those who are afflicted with a chronic illness and to anyone who must overcome the agony of a seemingly insurmountable obstacle in order to lead a happy and meaningful life.

John Lynch, now seventy-three, has had rheumatoid arthritis since 1959. Lynch holds a BA in chemistry from the University of Washington, an MBA in accounting from the University of Oregon, and a JD from Gonzaga University. In addition to being a retired member of the Washington State Bar Association, he holds a CPA certificate from the Washington State Board of Accountancy.

From 1978 to 2007 John was in the private practice of law as a sole proprietor, specializing in plaintiff personal injury & wrongful death cases, estate planning, and probate. For twenty years he was a volunteer advocate for the Great West Region of the Arthritis Foundation. The region honored him with its 2002 Advocacy Award and 2009 Inspirational Leadership Award. In 2013 he was the honoree for the foundation’s Inland Northwest Jingle Bell Run.

Through the foundation’s annual advocacy summits in Washington, D.C., John Lynch and many others have advocated for Medicare coverage of biological drugs for inflammatory arthritis administered to patients during office visits with their rheumatologists. In the U.S. Congress and state legislatures, they raise awareness about arthritis, including juvenile arthritis, and advocate for the appropriation of public resources sufficient to prevent, control and cure this chronic, painful and disabling condition.