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Daniela is an 18-year-old youth living with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. In this piece, she shares her journey to diagnosis, the realities of growing up with a chronic illness, and how her experiences have shaped her passion for advocacy and helping others navigating childhood-onset rheumatic disease.

In my 7 years of living with Ankylosing Spondylitis since the age of 21, I’ve had to teach a lot of people quite a few things about my illness. It’s a relatively unheard-of form of arthritis in day-to-day life. Most people have heard of Rheumatoid Arthritis, but not usually Ankylosing…

One of the many impacts of COVID was a surge in homeschooling, not just during the pandemic but well after. This back-to-school season, we’re pleased to share some tips from JIA parent, Kathleen Bailey, who has homeschooled her children for many years and has a lot of great advice for…

Hi! My name is Hayley. I was diagnosed with JIA at the age of 13. Around age 12 I realized that I could not straighten my fingers. Young me was very medically inclined, so after some googling, I diagnosed myself with arthritis. It took a long time to convince the…

Make lemonade! At least that’s what Jacob Shiell did when he was diagnosed with Systemic Idiopathic Juvenile Arthritis (SJIA) on his eighth birthday in October 2021.  Jacob’s journey began with unexplained foot pain and swelling. Over the next few weeks, the pain and swelling worsened and spread to his right…

Hello there! My name is Emily Bessey. I am 19 years old and live in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. My journey with JIA and TMJ started way back in 2009 when I was just 6 years old. I would go to school limping, hardly able to walk, but return home…

We have been asking youth with rheumatic disease to share their story! Sharing stories helps build community and connections. We hope that Jenna’s amazing story inspires you to share your own story.  My name is Jenna Kedy. I am 18 years old and live in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  As a…

My name is Matthew Sholdice. I am 19 years old, and I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis when I was 3 years old. I’ll start with a little bit about myself. I was born and raised in London, Ontario. I enjoy reading, working out, and watching TV and anime. Stranger…

Addie, Prince George, BC14 years old, Psoriatic JIA I used to hike and play school sports like basketball and volleyball. Now, I’m not able to because my arthritis hurts too much in my elbow, ankles and knees. This last year I started on the volleyball team, but had to stop…

A year and a half ago our daughter was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. Her pain and psoriasis started about a year before that but between misdiagnosis and chalking things up to growing pains, we had no idea JIA was even a thing. It all came to a head after a…