BROOKFIELD, Wis. — While on summer break Norah and Hannah Stier have been busy creating art. 

Hannah Stier’s artwork is a pink and green balloon dog, and Norah Stier’s has flowers, honeycombs and bumblebees. 

Professional artists are helping the two sister with their pieces. The artwork will go on display for auction this fall at the Saint Kate Arts Hotel in Milwaukee. 

All proceeds go toward a fundraiser that hits close to home for the two sisters: Art for Arthritis, which is raising money for the Arthritis Foundation and Camp M.A.S.H (Make Arthritis Stop Hurting)

“I chose these patterns because bee stings do hurt, but then so do injections, and after you get an injection, you know the flare will go down,” said Norah Stier.

They have a sister named Lucy. The three are triplets, but only Norah and Hannah Stier have juvenile arthritis. When they are experiencing a flare, it affects their knees. 

“It’s swollen and sometimes it gets like purple and blue,” said Hannah Stier. “It’s hard to run and walk sometimes and do sports. It’s like a thousand knives going into your knee.” 

The Arthritis Foundation said it can impact joints, skin, eyes and internal organs. 

Leah Delaney is the development director with the Arthritis Foundation of Wisconsin. 

Delaney said many people assume only older adults get arthritis, but more than 300,000 kids in the U.S. are diagnosed with the autoimmune condition. In Wisconsin, the number is 6,000.

“A lot of families out there that have kids who are struggling with pain,” said Delaney. “It creates a lot of frustration and anxiety for these parents who don’t understand why their kids can’t go to school, or they can’t play at recess or they can’t play with their friends because they’re complaining about pain. These kids aren’t lazy; they’re in severe pain.” 

Norah and Hannah Stier said they hope by sharing their experience other kids will understand. 

“Sometimes they ask me what happened to your leg, and I just tell them it’s from my last injection because I have arthritis, and sometimes, they say oh you probably just bumped it and that hurts,” said Norah Stier.