When Rare Becomes Real: One Family’s Fight Against Juvenile Dermatomyositis

Speaker Friday, August 1, 2025

What if your child were diagnosed with an ultra-rare autoimmune disease—one that, without proper treatment, could severely limit their strength, growth, or even survival? What if doctors had no definitive answers, only ongoing treatments designed to manage symptoms rather than cure them? For families facing juvenile dermatomyositis, these questions are not hypothetical. Because the condition is so rare, research is often underfunded, and awareness remains limited—even among medical professionals. Yet the search for answers in rare diseases like JDM has the potential to unlock breakthroughs in immunology and inflammation that extend well beyond a single diagnosis. Supporting this research is not just an act of compassion—it is a strategic investment in the future of medicine.

Join the Green Hills Rotary Club at 7:15 a.m. on August 1, 2025, at the Boy Scout Service Center to hear from James Tealy, a staff member at Cure JM. After a distinguished career in the music industry, Mr. Tealy now serves full-time with Cure JM—the national foundation funding research into juvenile dermatomyositis, the ultra-rare disease his step-daughter Lucy was diagnosed with in 2022.

Mr. Tealy leads Cure JM’s Family and Clinician Education Programs, including the organization’s National Family Conference, Regional Conferences, and Family Days in partnership with children’s hospitals and regional chapters across the country. He also coordinates the Cure JM Clinical Care Network and serves on Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s Rare Disease Advisory Council. In addition to his work with Cure JM, Mr. Tealy is an adjunct professor at Belmont University’s Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business.

Outside of his advocacy and academic work, Mr. Tealy is an award-winning songwriter and music publisher, with a catalog that includes popular Christian worship songs and contributions to Grammy and Dove Award-winning albums by artists such as Lauren Daigle, Kari Jobe, and Josh Wilson.

This presentation offers a rare opportunity to understand how families face uncertainty, how advocacy shapes research, and how a community can support a cause that carries both personal and national impact. Whether you are interested in medicine, nonprofit leadership, or community resilience, Mr. Tealy’s story brings insight, empathy, and inspiration.

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