Donate Now

Real People. Real Lives. Real Arthritis.

More than 6 million Canadians live with arthritis. No two experiences are the same.

For some, it means adapting how they work. For others, it changes how they move, sleep, parent, or pursue the things they love. Arthritis can affect anyone at any age: children, young adults, and older Canadians alike. And for many, it goes far beyond the joints, touching nearly every part of life.

These people have shared their stories to help others feel less alone and to show why research into arthritis matters to them.

Spencer O’Brien’s Story
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
Canadian Olympic snowboarder, Spencer O’Brien, was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis just a few months before competing at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi....
Read Spencer's Story
Vianne’s Story
  • Ankylosing Spondylitis
For years, Vianne Bacchus lived in excruciating pain with no answers. Her ankylosing spondylitis went undiagnosed because doctors didn't think women could have it. Research proved them wrong....
Read Vianne's Story
Ty’s story
  • Ankylosing Spondylitis
At 14, ankylosing spondylitis stripped Ty Clayton of every sport he loved. Twenty years later, he's running across a continent to fund the research that could change that for the next generation....
Read Ty's Story
Trish’s Story
  • Osteoarthritis
At 32, Trish Silvester-Lee was told she'd need a knee replacement before 40. She was a newlywed with a young son and a life full of sport. She just had that surgery. At 56. Still walking and still moving....
Read Trish's Story
Tamara’s Story
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
Diagnosed at six, Tamara Komuniecki watched her sister do gymnastics from the sidelines. Decades later, she's become one of the most dedicated advocates for the research that's changing how rheumatoid arthritis is treated....
Read Tamara's Story
Steve’s Story
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
Most people don't know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in people with arthritis. Steve Sutherland found out the hard way, in an emergency room at 29. In heart failure....
Read Steve's Story
Nikki’s Story
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
Diagnosed at 19, Nikki Bhatti spent years hiding her rheumatoid arthritis from everyone around her. Now she's one of the clearest voices explaining why arthritis research changes lives because it changed hers....
Read Nikki's Story
Natasha’s Story
  • Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
I was 13-years-old when I was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). I didn’t know what it was. My grandmother had arthritis, but I was young and healthy. How could I have an incurable disease? It didn’t make sense....
Read Natasha's Story
Lisa’s Story
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis on my daughter’s sixth birthday. At the time, I was 37. After years of pain and worsening unexplained symptoms, I felt relieved to finally have answers. But that relief quickly changed to concern. As a physiotherapist, I was confident about treatment options and getting my disease under control. Yet, I underestimated the impact arthritis would have on my life....
Read Lisa's Story

Don't miss another story.

Research updates, community stories, and things worth knowing. Delivered to your inbox.

Name