A year ago this month, I was diagnosed with Axial Spa. This September, I am taking part in NASS Stretch-tember 2024. I will be moving more and stretching more to help me cope with my pain which I experience due to living with axial SpA, an inflammatory condition of the spine and joints, causing extreme pain, exhaustion, and limited movement.

Axial SpA affects 1 in 200 people in the UK – twice as many as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s. If left untreated and symptoms are unmanaged, it can permanently fuse the spine and joints.

It’s an invisible and misdiagnosed condition with no cure. It works silently, leaving people feeling isolated and powerless, in increasing pain and extreme exhaustion, making basic daily tasks and full-time employment very difficult, or even impossible.

Your support has never been more urgent. Thousands of people receive little or no NHS information or support. Just £10 can help provide information and support for one person with axial SpA when they most need it.