Here is why I am taking part in this year's Strength-tember

If you know me well, you’ll know I’ve struggled with back and neck pain for most of my life. Over the years, I’ve seen countless specialists and had numerous GP consultations—often being brushed off or told it was “just hypermobility.”

After years of pain, a tough pregnancy and hard birth with my son, i had an MRI in 2023 and was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a form of axial spondyloarthritis (AxSpa). The diagnosis was overwhelming and the information given to me by Rheumatology lacking.

Like many, I fell down terrifying Google rabbit holes that only added to my anxiety, until I found NASS (National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society).

Their resources gave me hope, I watched webinars, found Yoga for AS and have learnt about ways other people who have this condition manage it.

For me, living with AS means living with constant pain. It affects my daily life, causes debilitating fatigue, and every two weeks I self-inject a biologic medication that comes with a list of scary side effects. It takes, on average, eight and a half years for someone to get diagnosed with AxSpa. Research is limited, and tailored support is even harder to come by.

That’s why I’m doing Strength-tember which is about building strength and raising awareness. Movement is one of the best ways to manage AS—but finding motivation when you’re in pain is hard. This challenge is my way of taking back some control.

If you’re able to donate, no matter how small, it would mean so much. Your support helps NASS continue changing lives, for me, and for thousands of others living with axial SpA