Dear Cure JM Families and Friends,
As we begin 2026, Cure JM is focused on translating momentum into measurable progress for families affected by juvenile myositis. The year ahead will be guided by four clear resolutions, each grounded in outcomes we can track, programs we can strengthen, and areas where focused investment can accelerate impact. These priorities reflect where we believe meaningful gains are possible and how your support directly advances our mission.
1. Increase Physician Training in JM Care. Quality care from physicians who are trained and experienced in the management of JM is critical to children living with JM. Cure JM will expand the reach of our training and fellowship programs and increase access to quality care in at least five underserved regions of the country.
2. Increase access to newer and better drugs for JM management. We are in the midst of an evolution of JM care as we seek ways to transition more children with JM to newer drugs and to reduce reliance on steroids. Increasingly, these newer drugs, which include several JAK inhibitors or monoclonal antibodies, are proving to be effective in JM and gaining wider acceptance in the pediatric rheumatology community.
3. Increase Cure JM’s investment in basic research. Better therapies are the result of understanding the causes of JM. We know more about the multiple overlapping causes of JM than ever before. Understanding the biology of the disease means that we can better target the newer and better drugs in the pipeline and move us even closer to a cure.
4. Expand chapters and family support as the foundation for better outcomes. Families are at the center of successful JM care. In 2026, Cure JM will expand family education, strengthen peer support, and provide practical tools that help families manage the physical and emotional impact of JM. We will also host 20 Family Days and Walks, bringing education, connection, and support directly into the communities where our families and clinician partners live.
5. Meet milestones toward a cure. The importance of advancing the clinical trial for CAR-T therapy in JM cannot be overstated. Early trial results indicate that CAR-T therapy may drive JM into remission. It will take some years of follow up with patients who have been treated successfully with the therapy to know if CAR-T represents long-term permanent remission. In short, a cure. Cure JM funded doctors and children’s hospitals are serving as clinical trial sites and enrolling patients as young as six years old. Our 2026 goal is to have 15 pediatric clinical trial sites up and running. Currently there are six pediatric sites.
I look forward to frequently reporting to you, our families, patients, and donors on our 2026 progress toward these objectives and resolutions. I am most confident that 2026 will be a Bold New Year for Cure JM research and clinical care.
Please know how grateful I am for your support that makes this progress possible.
