Inspirational Martha takes part Southsea Santa Run to raise money for other children with arthritis
A Fareham schoolgirl is taking on the challenge of taking part in the Southsea 5k Santa Run later this month to raise money for other children with arthritis.
Martha, who was diagnosed with arthritis this summer, is the face of the Juvenile Arthritis Research’s national Christmas appeal this year and is also taking on the Santa Run on December 20 to raise vital funds.
Often thought of as a condition that only affects older adults, Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is a serious autoimmune condition that affects around 1 in every 1,600 children in the UK - roughly 10 new diagnoses every week - yet public awareness remains low.
Martha and her family are hoping to raise £1,000 for Juvenile Arthritis Research, the only UK-wide charity focusing solely on JIA. The charity provides advice and support so that no one with the condition feels alone, while driving research towards a cure. She has already received more than £800 from the local community.
As part of the charity’s national Christmas appeal, Martha has shared her story to help raise awareness and encourage others to give the gift of hope to children with arthritis this festive season.
Beth Watson, Martha’s mum, said: “Martha was a very active, happy-go-lucky girl who loved running around with her friends, playing football, going swimming and riding her bike. Earlier this year we noticed she was becoming tired for no apparent reason, complaining that her legs hurt, and she was unable to do simple things like get herself dressed or walk down the stairs.
“After her diagnosis, Martha wanted to turn this into something positive, so as a family we’ve signed up for a local 5K Santa Run just before Christmas to raise much-needed funds for Juvenile Arthritis Research. As donations have come in and Martha has read the kind messages from family and friends, each one has really boosted her.
“This has not been an easy thing for Martha to cope with. She even tells us that her Christmas wish is for her JIA to go away. Without Juvenile Arthritis Research, and the information and resources they’ve provided, we would have been facing this diagnosis alone.”
Rebecca Beesley, founder of Juvenile Arthritis Research, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Martha and her family for sharing their story and helping to raise awareness that children can get arthritis too.
“Being told your child has arthritis can be shocking and can leave families feeling isolated and alone. Children can feel frightened and unsure of what is happening to them. Every donation we receive this Christmas will help us support more families and drive research towards a cure.”
To support Martha and her family’s fundraising, donate at www.justgiving.com/page/beth-watson-2.
You can also find out more information about Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis at: www.jarproject.org