Eleven years ago I had to stop work as a primary teacher. I was diagnosed as having rheumatoid arthritis. I was unable to return to work, needed help to get out of a chair, and had no social life. Life was incredibly bleak and lonely and medication seemed to have a very limited effect. I saw an advertisement for a self management course provided by Arthritis Care and applied at once to attend. I benefitted immediately from having someone who understood exactly what I was going through.
Over the six weeks I learned more about my condition and how to organise my life to get the best from it. Today I am back playing golf, have trained as a walk leader with 'Bums off Seats' in Fife, and swim regularly. In return I now deliver self-management courses for Arthritis Care and really enjoy seeing others turn their lives round as I did. So thank you to Arthritis Care for giving me a second chance at life.