The affects of Covid-19 are far reaching as we know. Charities, social enterprises and volunteer organisations are all being hard hit by the new virus. It’s more important than ever to highlight them and give them our support.
One charity I wanted to talk about is JAR (Juvenile Arthritis Research) which was set up in 2018 by a family affected by Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (or JIA). Their daughter was just two years old when diagnosed and went from being a happy. confident toddler to being in agony, unable to walk and needing a wheelchair for a while. It is heartbreaking to think of any child suffering such pain and my heart goes out to her and others affected by this cruel disease. (Currently about 20 children per week are diagnosed in the UK.)
This brave young girl is now nearly eight and has endured five years of weekly methotrexate injections to keep pain at bay and prevent joint damage. However her mum tells me that she is one of the lucky ones, as for some the diagnosis is slow and often results in irreversible joint damage.
This is why the work of JAR is so important.
JAR’s 3 Main Aims
JAR is run entirely by volunteers and its aims are 3-fold:
Cure – To find a cure for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).
Awareness – To help increase awareness that children and young people get arthritis.
Support – To support children and families affected by juvenile arthritis through the Little Box of Hope initiative (so that every family with a new diagnosis of JIA is able to receive one free of charge and know they are not alone).
How JAR is seeking help
There’s lots of ways in which people can get involved and support the work of Juvenile Arthritis Research. With prompt diagnosis and treatment, the outcomes for many children can be good. They can go on to lead full and active lives. Yet lots of people aren’t aware that arthritis can affect children, so the charity is keen to hear from others who could raise awareness in their own communities. You could volunteer to help in your local area.
Fundraising enables them to continue vital work – whether you are an individual, school, club, business or healthcare professional. Download an electronic fundraising pack to get you started.
More info can be found at www.jarproject.org and www.thinkjia.org
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