Alderfer Recognized as Riley Champion In Front of Classmates, School

A local teenager who is suffering from a rare immune system disease was honored on Wednesday.

13-year old Katherine Alderfer was recognized as one of the new Riley Champions for the Riley Children’s Foundation. Alderfer suffers from juvenile dermatomyositis, or JDM, a rare disease that causes the immune system to attack the muscles and skin.

She was recognized in front of her classmates during a chapel service at Lakeland Christian Academy. This special presentation allowed Katherine’s school to honor her bravery and kick off her role as ambassador for Riley Hospital for Children.

Her family helped create the Kosciusko County Riley Kids Fund, which raises upwards of $80,000 annually.