Vicky Foxcroft MP for Lewisham Deptford & Shadow Minister for Disabled People
#WearPurpleForJIA is an annual campaign dedicated to raising awareness and funds for the benefit of those living with JIA.
I wanted to congratulate JIA at NRAS on a successful Wear Purple for JIA week 2021.
Full plain-text version below:
Hello, my name is Vicky Foxcroft, I’m the Shadow Minister for Disabled People.
I want to congratulate JIA at NRAS on a successful Wear Purple for JIA week 2021.
I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2019 and JIA is a related condition, but one that impacts children – including babies, right from birth.
Like RA, it is an autoimmune condition, and it affects 12,000 children across the UK.
It attacks children’s joints, it causes pain, fatigue and stiffness, and it can also cause painful inflammation in children’s eyes, which is a condition called ‘uveitis’.
During Wear Purple Week 2021, the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society:
sent out 272 awareness raising and fundraising packs, raised over £16,000 to support families of children living with JIA,
ran free online wellbeing sessions including, an art class, yoga therapy, A mental health class, A photography class and a dance class.
And ran Facebook Live sessions, providing advice on everything JIA, including a Q&A session with nurses, a session with adults still living with JIA and a session co-hosted by children, who interviewed healthcare professionals.
These are all available to watch on the JIA at NRAS Facebook page.
I encourage families of children living with JIA to get in touch with JIA at NRAS to access support, services and future events.
Finally, there are children living with JIA in every community of the UK,
so please share this message to help people and schools in your part of the UK to understand the impact of this condition on children,
and to tell families about the support and advice JIA at NRAS offers to help their children live with JIA and thrive.