"I felt like a new person" - Riley rheumatoid arthritis patient shares how Dr. Matthews helped ease her debilitating jaw pain

Anne Bowen clearly remembers the pain she felt for years due to rheumatoid arthritis. Her jaw was one of the joints seriously impacted by her condition.

At age 16, Anne was diagnosed by the Riley Children's Health team. Her jaw discomfort was impacting her ability to speak, eat and play sports. She was eventually connected with Dr. Shaun Matthews, who launched a specialized multi-disciplinary clinic aimed at helping patients just like Anne.

Dr. Matthews performed a procedure that essentially washed out Anne's jaw and removed debris. Then, he flooded the joint with a steroid which acts as an anti-inflammatory medication.

"I came out of the surgery and felt like a new person almost immediately," Anne said. "My life has only gotten better with Dr. Matthews in it."

Dr. Matthews will be honored at the Arthritis Foundation Bone Bash this weekend as the medical honoree.