Feelings through art

Children can often best express how they feel about having arthritis through drawings. Here are some very graphic examples:

How I got Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

I was 2½ when I first got JCA. I am now 8½ and have had 5¼ years now. Here is a list of the medecine I take and used to take: (methotrexate) x steroids, Sitron, folic acid Zantic, Ibruprofen, methotrexate liquid and tablets. I hate being diffrent and not being able to do all the things every (body), body else can do. And once I went to hospital and the nurse said "don't cry, I have a headache!" I don't think that is very kind, people need to cry in their lives. I have recently apleyed to go to get your own back to get my own back on my doctor, doctor sedon.

by Beth Britton '98

How JCA makes you feel

JCA makes you feel all stiff if you stay. sitting on the floor too long. Then if you don't do any phisio you get very stiff. And every month or so you have a blood-test and a check-up. And they give you a lot of pills. Some of the nurses are lovely and some of the doctors are nice as well, my faverate doctor is doctor sedon. And it makes me mad not to able to do the things every body else can do, and it's me who has the dieasie and everyone tells me what to do.

by Beth Britton '98

This striking and powerful image
was used to illustrate a poster produced
by The Arthritis Research Campaign Council.