'It was scary': father recalls 5-year-old daughter's arthritis diagnosis

David Bussiere's daughter Ava was just 3-years-old when she first started to show the signs of juvenile arthritis and by 5 she was diagnosed.

The Regina father said he wasn't sure what was wrong with his daughter, and the two-year process to receive a diagnosis was trying.

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"Her mood changed when she was young, then eventually we noticed swelling in her joints," said Bussiere. "One morning she woke up and her knee wouldn't bend anymore and that's when we really started to take it seriously."

Initially Bussiere thought his daughter had just grown and was experiencing pain associated with that, which was later reinforced by some doctors.

After being referred to a team of specialists in Saskatoon, Ava was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. The disease affects her knees, ankles, wrists, fingers and her jaw.

On Sunday the Walk to Fight Arthritis took place in 40 communities across Canada.

It's something she'll have to deal with for her whole life.- DavidBussiere

"We justthought it would be a good way to show her she wasn't alone," Bussiere.

Sunday was the fourth time the Bussiere's made it out to the arthritis walk in Regina.

Ava had to be taken out of sports and could no longer participate in gym classher favourite subject during her leading up to her diagnosis.

"It was scary. It was scary because you learn that its not something they grow out of. It's a disease that they have for life. It's something she'll have to deal with for her whole life," said Bussiere.

After years of treatment and medicine Ava, now 8-years-old, is able to play soccer.

"When we had the whole bout with her knee we had to pull her out, couldn't play sports anymore, but then she started treatment and it take too long after treatment that we could start re-introducing things," said Bussiere.

"It's to the point where she's just a regular kid again."