True stories
Since my flare-up I haven’t been able to exercise at all and I’m finding it quite difficult, outlines Jasmine Leslie
I’m 16 years old and live in Cornwall with my family. I’m in sixth form studying A-levels in physics, biology and maths, and hope to pursue a degree in medical physics.
My diagnosis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) was quite quick although I know for other people it can take a long time. My dance teacher noticed my knee was swollen and we went to the doctor. Continue reading
Rheumatoid arthritis curtailed my career working with children but enabled me to support and make positive change to the lives of others, says Donna Saunders
Funny how life takes a different route to how you’d planned. Growing up, my dream was to work with children but my career as a nursery school nurse was short-lived due to rheumatoid arthritis.
Being diagnosed with a long-term painful condition at the age of 21 years old was devastating. The RA became aggressive and I became more dependent upon my husband. Our greatest achievement is surviving the challenge of pregnancy, childbirth and raising children, whilst living with RA. Continue reading
Versus Arthritis made all the difference in the world to my daughter Abigail who has juvenile idiopathic arthritis, highlights Sarah Voice
Our youngest child, James, first displayed symptoms of arthritis in his knees when he was two and a half years old and was diagnosed with oligoarthritis, the most common type of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Continue reading
Within a few weeks of starting Reiki, Andy Chrysostomou’s spondylosis symptoms vastly improved
I was diagnosed with severe spondylosis of the spine in 1997, a form of chronic arthritis that was causing narrowing of the vertebrae at the top and bottom of my spine, putting pressure on the nerves causing extreme pain and greatly reduced mobility. Continue reading
Understanding what I face allows me to have the healthiest future I can, explains Katharine Hough
I was in my second year at university when I began to faint frequently. My hair was falling out, I was constantly tired and I didn’t feel like myself. My mum thought that these rather general symptoms were down to my university lifestyle. Continue reading
