“As a Father, I couldn’t be more proud of my little girl. She was diagnosed with JIA when she was 2 years old and over the years endured flare ups everywhere; knees, ankles, hips, elbows, fingers. You name it. Under the care and guidance of Great Ormond St Hospital she needed multiple steroid injections to settle individual flare-ups and she spent prolonged periods on chemotherapy, both injections and oral to minimise the risk of more. As well as the pain, discomfort and nausea from the underlying condition and associated medications, she also endured the mental challenge that comes from regular hospital visits and friends and teachers alike not fully understanding what she was going through. As a teenager, regular comparisons to someone’s elderly arthritic relatives became emotionally draining, no matter how well intentioned the comments might have been. As a parent you feel helpless, but she made it easier for us. Despite all she was going through, she smiled, she persevered, she did her physio. She stayed strong. And she stayed true to herself. She wouldn’t let JIA define her and thankfully after twelve years or so, her condition went into remission. Life dealt her a poor hand but her positivity, resilience and maturity was rewarded and she’s now free to put those qualities of hers to use in a different way as she looks towards the bright future I believe she deserves.”