Legacy The gift of freedom W Help free the next generation from the painful grip of arthritis e recently received a generous gift from one of our supporters, Maureen Durbidge. Maureen lived with rheumatoid arthritis for many years and, for some of that time, needed to use a wheelchair. However, despite her arthritis, she always maintained a positive view of life. Sadly, Maureen died in 2014, at the age of 75. Maureen kindly chose to remember Arthritis Care in her will because she knew of the pain and limitations to peoples lives that is caused by arthritis, and she wanted to leave something to help others in her position. Arthritis can affect people of any age, but for the estimated 15,000 young people living with arthritis, it can have a devastating effect on their aspirations and achievements. Pain and lack of mobility can restrict every aspect of their lives. Arthritis Cares support helps young people to reach their full potential with our activity weekends, courses in pain management, and the support we offer entire families. Half of the young people Arthritis Care supports are funded by gifts people leave in their will. Without the generosity of people like Maureen, we wouldnt be able to do much of the work we do. Helping youngsters Rachel was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis and hypermobility at the age of nine, and has taken part in Arthritis Cares joint creativity programme. The volunteers have had a similar experience, so they understand how you feel, and this makes it a bit easier to become closer to them as a friend, she says. Theyre a really good influence and it fills me with hope that I may turn out like them someday that I will have a good future and I will be able to cope with arthritis. Arthritis Care currently works out of just five of the countrys 18 paediatric rheumatology clinics, which means we are not reaching thousands of young people who need our support. Our ambition is to reach all young people with arthritis in the UK so that we can work with them in building their confidence and self-esteem, to allow them to thrive, despite their condition. A gift of any size will help us reach more young people to support them, manage their pain, and do more than they thought possible. n For information about remembering Arthritis Care in your will, contact Grace Cunningham on 020 7380 6518 or visit arthritiscare.org.uk/wills