The recent passing of Ivey Hayes, a well-known Wilmington resident and artist, will be remembered at an upcoming fundraiser walk.
The Arthritis Foundation will honor Hayes at its 2012 Wilmington Arthritis Walk on Saturday, Oct. 20, at Hugh McRae Park.
No stranger to the annual walk, Hayes’ heroic spirit and determination to push through the limitations of his arthritis inspired the Arthritis Foundation to honor him as the adult honoree for the 2011 Wilmington Arthritis Walk, event organizers said.
It was Hayes’ honoree speech and his inspirational attitude that prompted the 2012 walk committee to ask him to return in 2012 as the walk’s first grand marshal.
With his recent passing, the committee will honor his legacy as a remarkable artist whose struggles with arthritis went unseen in his great works.
“Anyone who struggles with arthritis every day is a hero, but Ivey’s journey was truly inspirational, and it is a privilege to be able to share this with people who live the same battle that Ivey did,” said Candice Fuller, Community Development Associate Director for the Triangle/Coastal Office of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the Arthritis Foundation.
Widely known for his artwork that has been exhibited throughout North Carolina, Washington D.C., Boston, New York, along with various galleries and private collections across the country, Hayes was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 1986. Nevertheless, that did not stop his undeniable talent as proven by every stroke of his paint brush.
Just last month, Hayes was highlighted on a national level by the Arthritis Foundation as the subject of a feature article in the September issue of Arthritis Today, the Foundation’s national magazine. The Arthritis Foundation recognized him as an inspiration for people across the nation struggling to cope with arthritis. The article recognized his zeal, his perseverance, and the inspirational nature of his life.
The walk will be from 9 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.
To register for the 2012 Wilmington Arthritis Walk where Ivey Hayes’ legacy will be publically honored, click here, or contact Candice Fuller at (919) 250-0433. To learn more about how movement can help prevent and treat arthritis, click here.
