Barclays Business Thames Valley will be walking a marathon in September and have chosen JAR as our team charity for 2025 to say thank you for the support they continue to provide our colleague Nic and his family, any donations would be greatly appreciated.

In May 2024, at 7 years old, Nic's daughter Lyla was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA).

Lyla struggled for several months with knee pain and swelling until blood tests confirmed that Lyla had the autoimmune disease JIA.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation , swelling, stiffness and pain in children's joints.

This diagnosis was devastating for Lyla and her family. Lyla, who has previously loved gymnastics, bike riding and running around, had become unable to get up and down from the floor, stairs were a real struggle, as was getting out of bed each morning, as the stiffness was so bad and she was in a lot of pain.

It was a lot for her family to process but fortunately they were told about Juvenile Arthritis Research - JAR.

Juvenile Arthritis Research were there to offer support to Lyla and her family. They posted Lyla a wonderful resource of information in a 'Little Box of Hope'. Lyla was thrilled with the box and grateful to learn more about JAR and how the boxes are sent out by Abbie, another young person with JIA.

Thankfully Lyla has been fortunate enough to find the right combination of medication, therapy and care and for now her Arthritis is in medicated remission. It's wonderful news, but it can't be taken for granted. Lyla's JIA could flare up at any time.

JARs vision is a world where no child has to suffer from Arthritis. Understanding the cause, effects and impact of JIA and working to find a cure, supporting children and young people with JIA and their families, and raising awareness that children and young people get Arthritis.

JAR is a parent led charity, who all have experience with JIA and who are all volunteers. The amazing work they do to help support families is entirely funded by donations and fundraising.

So, as a team we would like to raise money for JAR to support the amazing work they are doing for families just like Nic & Lyla's.