In 2020 our energetic, happy and playful Zoie changed. She began screaming in pain through the night, was unable to move in the mornings and was refusing to walk or engage with anything around her. She was losing weight and was incredibly fatigued. We were told that she was lazy, that she had formed bad habits, that we were being too accommodating and that she simply had growing pains. We persistently fought for answers as we knew something was wrong!

On 28^th June 2021, Zoie was formally diagnosed with Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. A disease even we did not know children could get. This is an inflammatory disease that affects the joints but can also affect other organs including the eyes. It means that Zoie now must have daily pain relief, twice weekly chemotherapy injections as well as daily physiotherapy just to allow her to play and be four! Unlike most four-year olds she has a schedule of appointments to have to attend from clinic reviews, eye appointments, physiotherapy and regular blood tests as well as trips to theatre. She is also immunosuppressed and therefore struggles to fight normal day to day illnesses and has to receive cycles of anti-virals.

Zoie amazes everyone that meets her, she is upbeat, funny and faces all her challenges with a smile on her face and a cheeky personality to boot. She shows bravery and strength that bewilders her medical team and astonishes us a family as to what she takes in her stride. She is Marvel obsessed, with Hulk being her favourite. She works incredibly hard so that one day she too can have her hulk muscles back!

She has lost her confidence to do the basic of things, like climb the stairs or play in the playground, as such Zoie struggles to peddle a push bike. Therefore, I have decided to embark on a cycling challenge along with my dear friend, Gill. We will be cycling four hundred miles in four weeks to raise vital funds for charities that have shown us as a family, immeasurable support.

We will be raising money for Children’s Chronic Arthritis Association(CCAA) and 'Kids like us'. In order to raise money for two separate charities, we will be accepting cash donations that will go to Kids Like Us. So please if you could spare just £1, we would be so grateful to help support both these charities with the vital funds to continue to support families like us.

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is a rheumatic condition affecting children and young people and can take several different forms. CCAA is a volunteer led charity run by people who have been affected by JIA and are passionate about supporting others. We have no statutory funding and have to fund raise every penny we spend. Donations help to fund all the projects and events we run across the country and of course all the family support services we operate too. Without donations we simply can't continue to support families that need our help.