The summertime may bring opportunities to travel for business or pleasure, but hitting the road may also bring on aches and pains if you live with rheumatoid arthritis, or RA. So how do you cope with common travel conditions that may lead to an increase in pain from RA?Here now to talk about ways to help managange travel triggers, are rheumatologist Dr. Grace Wright and Maria, a woman living with RA.

About Dr. Grace Wright

Dr. Wright is a rheumatologist who has been practicing rheumatology for more than 20 years. She currently practices as an independent private rheumatologist in her own clinical practice, Grace C Wright MD PC. She is also an Attending Physician at NYU Langone and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at NYU Langone School of Medicine in New York, New York. She is a founding member of and president of theAssociation of Women in Rheumatology, an organization for women dedicated to promoting the science and practice of rheumatology and advocating access to the highest quality health care and management of patients with rheumatic diseases. She is also a certified fellow and member of the American College of Rheumatology.

She is the recipient of several awards, including the Helen R. Downes Award for academic distinction, and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Alpha Omega Alpha honor medical society. She received her medical and doctorate degrees from NYU School of Medicine where she also conducted her residency in internal medicine. Dr. Wright has authored numerous publications in rheumatology in publications such as the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Arthritis & Rheumatology, and Journal of Rheumatology.

About María

Over 45 years ago, María, a person living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), arrived in the United States with the dream of building a better life for herself and her three young daughters. To do this, María launched a successful cheese factory. When she sold her business in 2007, it was the second largest manufacturer of Hispanic cheeses in the United States.

When she was 35 years old, María began experiencing extreme fatigue, which she at first blamed on her grueling entrepreneurial schedule. After her doctor ordered a blood test, she received the devastating diagnosis of RA. Undaunted, she continued growing her business and raising her girls, oftentimes having to resort to supervising manufacturing from a wheelchair because the pain in her legs and feet had become unbearable. Among her many blessings, she counts her trusted rheumatologist who has journeyed the RA path with her for the last 30 years.

Today, María is a passionate advocate for helping others cope with this chronic autoimmune disease. She lives in Texas and enjoys investing in real estate, cooking, traveling, and loving her three daughters, nine grandchildren, and one great-grandson.