Family take on running challenge for Rosanna
Proud parent Kirstin and daughter Charley Weir have raised a total of £2,361 for the Scottish Network for Arthritis in Children (SNAC) by completing a marathon relay race for little Rosanna.
Supported by friends from Arran, the participants undertook the Edinburgh Marathon Festival Hairy Haggis team relay which required a team of four runners to share the 26.2-mile distance.
Hoping to raise £1,000, Kirstin, daughter Charley, Emily Hodkinson, Ben Downing, Ross Kerr, Sandra McLaren, Louise Moyse and Rhona McLeod managed to more than double their target with the help of generous supporters who sponsored them.
Passionate about the nominated charity, SNAC, the Weir family, who live in Pirnmill, have felt the effects of arthritis first-hand since their daughter Rosanna was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis at 15 months.
She stopped walking and struggled to crawl, she would scream in pain if you stood her on her feet as her ankles were so swollen. She cried through the night as it hurt to roll over.
Rosanna has had steroid injections in her joints; knees, ankles, wrists, fingers and toes. She also has Uveitis, inflammation of the eyes, a leading cause of blindness necessitating additional treatments to her weekly Methotrexate injections – fortnightly Humira injections and antisickness medicines – along with many hospital appointments and frequent blood tests. Despite all of this, Rosanna, who is now seven years old, is a very happy and active little girl who enjoys ballet, gymnastics and swimming – you would never guess that she has to undergo these painful and disruptive treatments. She is also proud to be part of SNAC and loves to attend events arranged by the organisation, where she gets
to meet other children who are going through the same ordeal as her. It makes her feel supported and part of a team, and helps to keep her strong.
Kirstin said: ‘I would like to thank everyone for the support they have given me, be it running in the marathon, sponsorship, medical or just someone to talk to.
‘SNAC is a fantastic charity which had 60 runners raising funds for it in the marathon. Along with our contribution, supporters have raised a total of £15,000 which will go a long way to helping those affected by the disease.’
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis affects about one in every 1,000 children under 16. SNAC provides a national support network for children with arthritis and their families through the provision of factual, practical and emotional support. It aims to pull together the wider community of affected children in Scotland as well as raise public awareness of childhood arthritis.