Miami Man Overcomes Disease To Help Kids In Similar Pain

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- When a day of play turned to pain for Matthew Ridge, his parents weren't quite sure what was wrong with him.

Now, more than 15 years after his initial diagnosis, he's giving back to kids he can really relate to.

On a Thursday in June, Matthew was dancing around during a Zumba class.

"I got this. I got this," he joked. "I'm very dizzy... I'm going the wrong way aren't I?"

Matthew's body now moves in ways that were once impossible for him.

"For me it was my hips and my legs. There were a couple of days where I couldn't walk," he said. "Through middle school, I was in a chair on and off. I was in a wheelchair."

When Matthew was just six years old, he was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, a chronic disease that causes inflammation of the joints.

It's painful and, at times, debilitating.

"Say you bent your finger back and you sprained it. It's that soreness. It's waking up with that every morning," Matthew told CBS4's Lauren Pastrana. "It's something you can't see but it slows us down."

But Matthew refused to let it slow him down completely.

He participated in clinical trials for medications and went into remission three years ago.

Now, at 22-years old, he's helping other kids cope with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Matthew is a counselor at Camp Funrise, a week-long, sleepover camp for kids with Rheumatoid Arthritis put on by Nicklaus Children's Hospital, Dr. Rafael Rivas-Chacon, and the Arthritis Foundation.

"They get a chance to be a regular kid and get away from 'When's my next shot. When's my next pill,'" said Matthew.

Last month, the camp celebrated its 25th anniversary at A.D. Barnes Park near Coral Gables.

"They've given all these kids a chance to be kids and it's a great thing," Matthew said.

Whether they're dancing or doing crafts, the kids can forget about their diagnosis.

There's a nurse on site, but otherwise, it's your typical summer camp.

Matthew is there for the campers every step of the way, encouraging and inspiring them, and reminding them that they, too, are survivors.

"It's kinda cool being able to pass that along to somebody. We had a girl in here terrified of needles. I was telling her it was the worst pain I ever had. She said 'Really? It doesn't hurt me at all'. And I said 'See you're tougher than I am'. She had her medicine and she went right back to playing. I'm one of the few people who can relate to these kids. I think I can better than most people," said Matthew.

Matthew will attend the University of Central Florida in the fall, but says he plans to keep coming back each summer to give back to the camp that gave so much to him.