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Peter Mallam is raising money for National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society
Story
I’m running the London marathon - my first ever long run in April to raise money for the National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society!
This is a cause close to me because my sister suffers from Ankylosing Spondylitis.
The disease is a form of arthritis which causes serious inflammation in the SI joints and spine, and often peripheral joints too. It comes with pain, swelling and extreme tiredness as the body tries to fight the illness.
It is predominately males affected and there are less than 50,000 women in the UK diagnosed so diagnosis is really tough. It takes on average ten years to get diagnosed, usually about 15 for women as it is rarer.
Emily was diagnosed seven years ago. Luckily, she found one of the top AS researchers on her doorstep! Her’s was a rare case which progressed exceptionally fast; as well as active disease in her SI and spine it is in her knees, toes, neck, wrists, fingers and eyes.
So she was transferred up to a London hospital. She failed five courses of treatment so ended up injecting a form of chemotherapy which thankfully worked. Emily went from barely being able to walk to having her mobility back.
Emily went into remission when pregnant with her baby, Oscar, and a year after having him, her remission has now failed and she has an active disease again.
The NASS gives a lot towards research and it has a phone line to call for medical or work advice. It offers support to people who don’t have a support network.
Invisible illnesses suck. I want to do my part!
This is a cause close to me because my sister suffers from Ankylosing Spondylitis.
The disease is a form of arthritis which causes serious inflammation in the SI joints and spine, and often peripheral joints too. It comes with pain, swelling and extreme tiredness as the body tries to fight the illness.
It is predominately males affected and there are less than 50,000 women in the UK diagnosed so diagnosis is really tough. It takes on average ten years to get diagnosed, usually about 15 for women as it is rarer.
Emily was diagnosed seven years ago. Luckily, she found one of the top AS researchers on her doorstep! Her’s was a rare case which progressed exceptionally fast; as well as active disease in her SI and spine it is in her knees, toes, neck, wrists, fingers and eyes.
So she was transferred up to a London hospital. She failed five courses of treatment so ended up injecting a form of chemotherapy which thankfully worked. Emily went from barely being able to walk to having her mobility back.
Emily went into remission when pregnant with her baby, Oscar, and a year after having him, her remission has now failed and she has an active disease again.
The NASS gives a lot towards research and it has a phone line to call for medical or work advice. It offers support to people who don’t have a support network.
Invisible illnesses suck. I want to do my part!
