Juvenile Arthritis Support Group
1 in 1000 Children in Australia live with Arthritis and Kids Arthritis Australia is Australia’s first and leading organisation solely dedicated to supporting them.

Founder and CEO Sarah Hammond has lived with Juvenile Arthritis since birth and by the age of 19 was half blind with UVitis (Arthritis of the eye), and also had Medication induced Lupus. In October 2015 she officially registered Kids Arthritis Australia to advocate for change and support.

Children afflicted with this common yet hidden condition live a life full of pain, stiffness, medical mistreatment, bullying and abuse and miss countless days of school due to medical appointments and tests.

Kids Arthritis Australia now runs seven Australian First Support and Education groups and events. Sarah’s lived experience is paramount in recognising how these groups bring otherwise isolated children, their families and careers together in safe and supportive environments. They are surrounded by others in the same situation, plus health and education specialists impacted by Juvenile Arthritis.

Kids Arthritis Australia has been trialing an Australian First Support and Education Group over the past seven months in the South of Adelaide.

The aim of this Support and Education Group is to connect children, their families and careers together in a safe and supportive environment, to support and encourage otherwise isolated members of our community living with Juvenile Arthritis. The group provides a light lunch and disability friendly crafts all within a safe and supportive environment.

The directors of UCF were pleased to approve the application for $1,975 to help with hiring a disability friendly space accessible by car or public transport to enable the group to expand.

Using the UCF grant funds Kids Arthritis Australia, with the assistance of volunteers, will be able to assist twenty different families living in South Australia with Juvenile Arthritis. This means sixty (60) children and forty (40) parents/careers will have their lives changed through accessing this vital Australian First Support and Education Group.

This will not only impact the families, but give opportunities to the volunteers to expand and learn more about this hidden yet common condition which many know nothing about.