It’s that time of year again when Mia starts her fundraising for Juvenile Arthritis Research 😃 Anything you can donate would be hugely appreciated. Thank you ❤️ Mia’s brother Max is also supporting with fundraising by arranging a charity football match with his football team/friends, lads vs dads they can’t wait to show their Dads how it’s done 🤣

Just a little update on how Mia is doing. It has been a really difficult 12 months, her arthritis has stabilised following a nasty flare last year but the after affects have hit her mental health hard. She has really bad anxiety and hasn’t slept on her own for months, she is refusing her blood tests which means she will have to stop her medication which will mean a flare is imminent once she stops the injections. She doesn’t understand how bad things will get all she knows is that she hates having her bloods done and that is that nothing else matters to her which just shows how poor her mental health is. We are waiting for support from CAMHS and she has been assessed as “needing help” BUT won’t receive any help for a year as that’s how long the waiting list is unless she is self harming or suicidal! It’s really worrying and hard to watch her deteriorate but her fundraising activities definitely give her something else to think about. 

Juvenile Arthritis Research is a charity making a difference to the lives of those affected by juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). We are a parent-led charity with direct experience of JIA, and are run entirely by volunteers like myself and Mia. JIA is an autoimmune condition where the body attacks the joints causing inflammation, pain and reduced mobility.

Our vision is a world where no child has to suffer from arthritis. Our core aims include research to find a cure for JIA, raising awareness that children and young people get arthritis and providing support to children with JIA and their families. We rely entirely on fundraising and donations, with every penny raised going directly towards the work we do.