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Steve’s Story

Arthritis Changed Everything

I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at 25. The symptoms came on quickly. I was shocked that someone my age could have this disease. Four years later, I found myself bussing to the emergency room for what I thought were minor chest pains. In reality, I was in heart failure at 29. By the time I reached the hospital, one of the valves in my heart had almost stopped working.

It was the most scared I have ever been.

I don’t think many people know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in people with arthritis or that inflammation in the body can cause many complications, including heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots.

After five days in the hospital, I was able to go home. My girlfriend, Samantha, and my parents had to care for me. I wasn’t allowed to get up and move because I had low heart function – meaning my heart wasn’t pumping enough blood. Just walking around the house was a chore.

I felt like a burden. It wasn’t the first time. Arthritis impacts all aspects of life.

“As a member of Arthritis Research Canada’s Arthritis Patient Advisory Board, I share my lived experience with arthritis to help shape research. But I am also learning a lot about research that benefits people like me.

– Steve Sutherland

Samantha and I had only been dating for two years when I received my arthritis diagnosis. I worried about how having a chronic disease would affect our future. Samantha was amazing. She drove me to medical appointments, took on more chores, changed our diet, and ensured I exercised, got outside, and enjoyed life. She also did research to understand rheumatoid arthritis.

This is how I first came to know about Arthritis Research Canada.  

Samantha and I have been together for 11 years, and we have been married for three. We have two beagles, who we love dearly and who bring us together for daily walks. Physical activity has many benefits and is particularly important when dealing with arthritis. Over the years, I’ve spoken with counsellors and therapists as a way to process my diagnosis, complications and concerns. When you have a chronic disease, the focus is often on treating the “physical,” but the “mental” is just as important. People with arthritis often struggle with their mental health.

Connecting with others who have arthritis has helped me process some of these feelings. As a member of Arthritis Research Canada’s Patient Advisory Board, I share my lived experience with arthritis to help shape research. But I am also learning a lot about research that benefits people like me.

Today, there is more hope than ever before, which is why I am asking you to make a donation to Arthritis Research Canada to help advance critical research that improves lives.

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As someone who has experienced life-threatening heart disease due to my arthritis, I take comfort in the fact that scientists at Arthritis Research Canada are leading research that is helping people overcome the challenges of this disease – do the things they love, be present for their families, and continue to work and live well.

I am excited to participate in upcoming research about the side effects of biologics, which are drugs that target specific parts of the immune system. I appreciate that patients are partners in all aspects of research at Arthritis Research Canada, and I feel that my experience can make a difference for others.

 

Thank you for helping fund vital research that impacts people of all ages with arthritis. I never expected to be diagnosed with a disease like rheumatoid arthritis when I was in university, and I certainly didn’t think I would experience heart failure before my 30th birthday. Many people don’t realize that arthritis is serious and can threaten a person’s life.

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