Joint Effort at Arthritis Children’s Camp

Media Release Issued by Arthritis New Zealand
Thursday 24 March 2011

Imagine watching your healthy baby or young child in pain almost daily. This is a challenge that has faced a group of parents who are meeting this weekend (Friday 25th March – Sunday 27th March) to attend the Arthritis Children’s Camp at Totara Christian Camp in Matamata, Waikato. For the parents of 19 children, infants and teenagers, from all over New Zealand, this was their reality and then came the diagnosis: “Your child has arthritis”.

Arthritis New Zealand staff and members of the National Paediatric Rheumatology team, will provide an educational programme during the camp, which will be balanced with fun physical activities.

The camp was made possible with grants from both AXA Hearts in Action and the Newman’s Own Foundation.

The children, for whom the camp has been designed, are aged between 2 and 13 years old. Most them are under 10 and have been diagnosed with arthritis in the past year.

It is estimated that there are over 1000 children and young people under the age of 20 years affected by arthritis in New Zealand.

Children will get the chance to relax and mingle with others with arthritis while also learning more about their condition. Their parents will have the opportunity to have all their questions answered by both the specialists and the Arthritis New Zealand team.

Sandra Kirby, Chief Executive of Arthritis New Zealand is looking forward to the camp:”Thank you to AXA Hearts in Action, Newman’s Own Foundation and all the staff - without their commitment this camp wouldn’t have been possible.”

“These children, many of whom are pre-schoolers, benefit from the new Paediatric Rheumatology services that are available. These are great, but parents as well as the children need to meet others like them – and share experiences and advice. That is where Arthritis New Zealand fits in.”

“We are constantly battling the misconception that arthritis is an ‘old person’s disease’, these children are a real testament to just how misguided that line of thinking is, and it’s time that it changed.”

ENDS

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