Elise Boisvert: Driven to Teach – Choosing a Career with Arthritis

Elise Boisvert was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis at age four after two years of not sleeping, waking up in tears and experiencing swollen, hot joints.

“My mum had to fight with doctors to find answers,” Boisvert said. “They told her, ‘You’re a new mum and this is all normal.’”

Fast-forward 20 years, and Boisvert is only a few months shy of finishing her Bachelor’s of Education and embarking on a teaching career. But the path to this decision wasn’t easy.

“Growing up with a disability hindered me a lot,” she said. “I’m excited to be the rock for students and to create an inclusive classroom community.”

Chronic Challenges in Childhood

Boisvert missed two consecutive months of grade six because of a bad flare. Then in high school, knee surgeries forced her to miss more days. She fell behind, felt left out, and struggled to develop friendships with classmates.

Arthritis was all Boisvert knew. Yet, as an invisible disease stereotypically thought to affect older adults, it was difficult for others to understand.

“Some teachers didn’t believe me when I told them about my arthritis,” she said. “Always having to explain myself became mentally and physically exhausting and, as a teenager, I felt very angry.”

Throughout her life, Boisvert has experienced good and bad days. For example, she might be able to walk for 40 minutes on Monday and be confined to her bed on Tuesday.

“I remember thinking, ‘I have no idea what I’m going to do with my life. How will I hold a career if I can’t make it through school some days?’”

No Struggle in Vain

Despite the barriers that monopolized her childhood, Boisvert went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan Campus. After graduating, she still held concerns about choosing a career while navigating the unpredictability of arthritis.

“I was driving in the car with my mum, wondering what to do with my life, and I had a realization,” Boisvert said. “I thought about some of my wonderful, supportive teachers and realized, ‘I’d love to be that teacher for kids like me someday.’”

Around 25,000 Canadian children and adolescents live with arthritis. And 22% under 18 have at least one chronic condition. Boisvert wants to help young people who, like her, struggle in school due to health-related challenges. She plans to encourage them to dream big, have goals and feel supported.

“Youth living with chronic diseases shouldn’t listen to people who say they can’t do something. A family member once crushed my career dreams by saying I could never be a chef due to my arthritis.”

People with arthritis can succeed – even at demanding post-secondary institutions. Boisvert recommends reaching out to college/university disability resource centres for help. They can grant more time for assignments, access to audio recordings of lectures and more. She also advises students to tell their professors about their arthritis.

“They don’t know what they don’t know. Arthritis is often invisible, and they won’t understand what’s going on if you don’t tell them.”

Boisvert recently did a practicum in a middle school in Lake Country, which validated her career choice. “I’m excited to be able to help kids through whatever’s going on in their lives.”

Her chosen career also allows her to monitor and be aware of her body. “I can sit down or let my students know that I’m hurting and need to sit to teach. There is so much diversity in the classroom.”

Accepting Workplaces

Boisvert isn’t worried about her ability to perform as a teacher. Her concerns about entering the workforce are tied to the perceptions of others. For example, should she disclose her arthritis to prospective employers? Will her disease impact her ability to get a job? How will her symptoms be interpreted? Will people think she’s making excuses when flaring or having a bad day?

Boisvert wants employers and the general public to understand that arthritis does not make people inefficient or lazy.

“I would argue that individuals of all ages with arthritis have an even stronger work ethic due to constantly advocating for themselves,” she said. “Arthritis affects my presence sometimes and my ability to get things done on a certain timeline, but it will never affect my work ethic.”

Boisvert believes it’s important to seek out employers and workplaces that are accepting of people living with disabilities.

“I’ve disclosed my disability to potential employers in the past and they’ve decided not to hire me,” she said. “There is nothing wrong with being honest and upfront. In fact, that will reveal a workplace’s true colours and let you know if it’s an accepting place.”

Boisvert added that no one should feel like a nuisance because of arthritis – especially at school and work.