Spotlight It has been a rollercoaster journey We speak to Tom Hutchings, marketing manager at Versus Arthritis As told to: Phil Lattimore My daughter Lara was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) when she was two. That was a huge shock; I never even knew children could get arthritis. Seeing Lara in pain, going through the diagnosis and starting her on different treatments was a difficult time and a steep learning curve. It has been a rollercoaster journey, but her condition is now stable as a result of her anti-TNF [tumour necrosis factor] medication that Versus Arthritis developed through its funded research when it was Arthritis Research UK. Around six months after Laras diagnosis, I saw a job advertised at Versus Arthritis and it couldnt have been a better fit. I joined in June 2019, and as soon as I got the job it became more apparent how many of my family members are affected by different forms of arthritis. Tom and daughter Lara, who was diagnosed with JIA at the age of two Having someone there who understands what youre going through can be so important What I love about Versus Arthritis is the breadth of what we do. We fund research, lobby governments, provide support services and train healthcare professionals, so there is so much to do and learn. A large part of my role is to increase peoples awareness of Versus Arthritis and what we do. I advertise the services we offer and encourage people to join our community in whatever way suits them as an online community member, social media follower, volunteer or fundraiser. My day can vary a lot, but my team is usually measuring the success of a campaign and planning how we can reach even more people with future ones. We run adverts on TV, radio, online, in GP surgeries, magazines and newspapers; I find it satisfying to see the impact of our advertising. We measure how many people use our services and I can see how many access the support they need when we promote our services. What motivates me most are the inspiring people with arthritis and the stories they share with us. People with arthritis often feel unheard and misunderstood. Our advertising raises awareness of how serious and life-changing it can be. What Ive learned most from working at Versus Arthritis is how much a community can help and support people, and make them feel less alone. Having someone there who understands what youre going through can be so important. World Arthritis Day, on 12 October, is an important time for us. We want to use that moment to raise awareness of arthritis as a condition. Well be running activities throughout the month and sharing stories from our amazing community of people living with arthritis. 13 Inspire Autumn 22 pp13 Spotlight.indd 13 16/08/2022 16:45