When I take part in the adidas Women’s 5km Challenge it will be almost a year to the day that Rhys was diagnosed with Oligioarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA).  Rhys, then age 6, couldn't move his elbow, ankle or foot due to huge swelling on his joints.  After 12 weeks of trips to A&E, misdiagnosed sprains and fractures, and pestering our GP, we were referred to the Oxford Paediatric and Adolescent Rheumatology Centre (OxPARC) at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre (NOC). That day, the 17th September 2010, our bumpy ride into the unknown began…  

Chronic (or long term) arthritis in children is more common than many people think, including many doctors. It occurs in one child in every thousand, which is slightly less frequent than diabetes. It is an inflammatory disease principally affecting the joints but may also affect other organs including the eyes.

The cause of JIA is unknown. There is no cure.  

Most of the time you will look at Rhys and think 'there is nothing wrong with him' but you can't see what is going on inside. He might wake up tomorrow with a ‘flare’ and not be able to move his joints. He has stiffness in his joints some mornings and sometimes limps when he walks.

Rhys very rarely complains; he copes with the pain, had steroid injections in his joints and has a weekly injection of Methotrexate administered by me (not nice) to keep the inflammation under control, monthly blood tests (a rollercoaster of results!) and help from the clinical psychologist to help cope with it all. After all he is only 7.

Rhys doesn't let JIA get him down - ask him about his JIA and he says ' I am a normal boy, I just have JIA.'  

The care Rhys receives from OxPARC is fantastic!  They look after the concerns of the whole family and without that support I honestly believe that we wouldn’t be coping as well as we are now. 

I am taking part in the 5km challenge to raise funds for the NOC Foundation and The OxPARC team, to say thank you so far.

Yes Rhys has JIA. We know it can’t be cured but we will not let it beat us!

Thanks for taking the time to visit my my JustGiving page and thank you for your support.

Em & Rhys xx

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