Athletes Joined Against Spondylitis

Mission

Brian Warner, the founder of Athletes Joined Against Spondylitis (AJAS), is a nationally ranked paintball player and someone who has Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). AS is a systemic autoimmune disease and a type of arthritis that affects the joints between the vertebrae of the spine, especially those found in the lower back. AS causes inflammation in the areas where tendons or ligaments attach to bone, which then makes the vertebrae merge ? or fuse ? together. Gradually, the disease moves up, affecting joints higher and higher on the spine. Besides the joints, the lungs, heart and eyes can also be affected.

It is not well known in the medical community and is often misdiagnosed. In Brian's case, it took 10 years of fruitless tests, before he was finally diagnosed with an advanced case of AS. There is no cure, only treatment for the symptoms, and many insurance companies do not cover the medications. Brian has recently started taking Humira, which has significantly reduced his pain and dramatically increased his mobility. But while Humira helps, it is not a cure. It is also a drug treatment that is not covered by all insurance policies. He is lucky in that his insurance picks up the tab. Brian's treatment costs more than $30,000 a year. Many people are not so fortunate; some insurance policies don't cover Humira -- if the patient has insurance at all.

More than one million people have AS. Two-thirds of all patients, such as the entertainer Ed Sullivan, end up with a curved, forward-stooping posture. Most end up unable to work, to drive or to enjoy a full life with their families. AS most commonly strikes males in their 20s and about 5% of all cases diagnosed are in children.

AS patients are predominantly young men; extreme athletes are predominantly young men. Paintball is the third largest extreme sport in terms of revenue, behind only skateboarding and in-line skating, and is the only sport of its kind that promotes a teamwork environment, which is why it is appealing as the launch point for AJAS.