A young girl from Chester-le-Street, County Durham, was diagnosed with a painful lifelong condition after waking up with pain in her knee. Charlotte and Paddy Cumiskey's daughter Clara began complaining of a sore knee when she was just two years old. Shortly after her third birthday, she was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis, a disease that affects children and can be treated with medication but has no cure.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Clara, now four, has undergone two surgeries at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle to treat inflammation in both knees and both ankles. She requires weekly injections of immune-suppressing medication and is currently in medicated remission.
Her parents, Charlotte, 33, and Paddy, 34, noticed something was wrong when Clara would wake up each morning saying, 'My knee hurts.' Charlotte explained that the pain would fade as the day progressed, but they knew something wasn't right. They sought medical advice and received a diagnosis within eight weeks.
Understanding Juvenile Arthritis
Charlotte said, 'It all started with her talking about pain in one knee. By the time she got diagnosed, she was talking about pain in both knees.' She had read about juvenile arthritis and recognized that symptoms often worsen in the morning due to stiffness. The diagnosis brought relief, but also grief and overwhelm as they learned about the condition.
'When we talk about Clara's condition, 99% of people say they didn't know children could get arthritis. It feels rare, but it's more common than you think,' Charlotte added.
Ultra Challenge for Awareness
This weekend, Charlotte and Paddy are taking on the Lake District Ultra Challenge to raise awareness of juvenile arthritis and support vital research. The challenge involves hiking a 100km looped route around the Lake District, starting and ending in Kendal. Over £2,300 has already been donated to their JustGiving page.
Paddy, a marketing manager, said, 'We're really excited and a bit nervous. Clara's diagnosis completely changed our lives. She's already been through so much, including two surgeries, and depends on medication. We're grateful she's in remission, but there's still a long way to go for Clara and many other children.'
Charlotte, an organisational development manager at Northumbria University, added, 'We've been building up to this for months. People have been so supportive. It's going to be tough, but it's nothing compared to what children like Clara face every day.'
Living with Juvenile Arthritis
Clara's immune-suppressing medication makes her more susceptible to illnesses and slower to recover from common colds. She understands she has juvenile arthritis and feels sad about her weekly injections. Currently, she has no active disease, but the medication is actively treating her joints. Her parents hope to wean her off medication in the future and achieve full remission.
Charlotte urged other parents to seek medical advice if they notice their children in pain. 'Push for answers,' she said.
