Young People Facing a Positive Future with Arthritis

Media Release

10 October 2014

Young People Facing a Positive Future with Arthritis

Today 20 young people aged from 12-20 years old are travelling to Auckland from around New Zealand. So what you might ask.

These young New Zealanders all have arthritis!

They are gathering to become part of the Great Arthritis Challenge and will be spending this weekend developing their skills and knowledge as potential leaders. Their activities will include discussion about their experience of growing up with arthritis, and dealing with the entrenched myth that arthritis only affects the elderly.

One of the most important features of this weekend is giving these teenagers a chance to meet with and learn from others of the same age who have arthritis. The weekend will also involve young adults now in the paid workforce who have grown up with arthritis and can share their experiences of leaving school and moving to the worlds of work and study while managing their arthritis.

It is significant that 12 October is World Arthritis Day, the date that organisations across the globe raise awareness of this chronic condition, which in New Zealand affects more than 530,000 New Zealanders, including1,000 children and young people.

Participants range in age from 13-17 – some have had recent diagnoses - and some have had arthritis all of their childhood.

They will include Nik, who at 16 has had a hip replacement, and Caitlin, who at university struggles to manage the stairs in the building between classes. One of the youth leaders will be Alice, who was diagnosed at intermediate school, and at 15 was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis. Alice her life was changed dramatically with the introduction of a new drug. She is now back working full time and has ‘been given her life back’.

The major struggle for all these young people is that they look perfectly normal; their condition and the associated pain is invisible. One day they can be well and the next struggle to move.

Take a moment on World Arthritis Day to think about these brave motivated young people and perhaps how you might feel as a parent of a four year old being told “your child has arthritis!” and support us to find a cure for them. Weekend highlights include –

An art workshop exploring the theme of growing up with arthritis (Saturday morning 9.30am at Corban Estate Arts centre in Henderson )

• A session with the navy at the Devonport Naval Base exploring a range of fitness activities (Saturday afternoon)

• A series of challenges during the weekend exploring the teenagers’ perceptions and talents including a social media challenge based on sharing the experience of growing up with arthritis.

• A visit to the Sky Tower courtesy of Sky City.

• The camp is based at Chosen Valley Christian Camp Turner Rd Aararimu South Auckland

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