CLARKSVILLE, TN − Mayor Joe Pitts has proclaimed August 2025 Autoinflammatory Awareness Month in Clarksville, and encourages all citizens to join in raising awareness to promote improved care, research and treatment for these rare diseases.
In making the designation during the Clarksville City Council’s Thursday meeting, Pitts recognized one local family that has been directly affected by familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome.
Josiah J. Cabrera is a 4-year-old warrior who copes with the challenges of having the rare genetic condition affecting fewer than one in 1 million people.
His father, Julious, a Fort Campbell active-duty soldier, and mother, Makenzie, a nursing student, along with his siblings Jayse and Alaiya, are all tireless advocates seeking to bring awareness to this rare disease.
Autoinflammatory syndrome causes episodes of fever, skin rash and joint pain. These episodes can be triggered by exposure to cold temperatures, or they may arise without warning, and last for a few hours to several days. Symptoms can begin in childhood and continue throughout life.
With earlier diagnosis and proper treatment, many patients can have improved quality of life, and fewer complications or damage from these complex diseases. The term “autoinflammatory” was first used in 1999 to describe these rare diseases that were not autoimmune. At that time genetic causes were starting to be discovered by researchers.
| GET HELP, GIVE HELP: Clarksville Strong, your guide to local nonprofits