This month in my wisdom I will be running the Windsor 10k in aid of a local, Maidenhead based charity – The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS). The NRAS do an amazing job in supporting people who have been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Supporting a local charity and helping to drive awareness of the great work that they do is something which is really important part of us here at Rimu Marketing and a focus for us since we started. I have recently been introduced to this amazing organisation and wanted to support the excellent work that they do.
Read on to find out a little more about what they do, but if you could spare a few pennies that would be amazing. Thank you in advance for your help.
CLICK HERE to support the NRAS
Who can be affected by Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) can effect anyone but it is more prevalent in people aged 40-60yrs old, about 1% of the population or 400k people are affected by the illness.
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)?
RA is an autoimmune condition which means that your body’s immune system has made a mistake and is not quite working as it should do. The NRAS explain that:
” . . .your immune system is designed to defend your body against infection. It should not attack your body. Sometimes the immune system becomes too active, and mistakenly attacks your body, and this is called ‘autoimmune’ disease. When you have RA, your immune system attacks the lining of your joints (the synovial lining). This causes inflammation, which leads to symptoms such as pain and stiffness.
RA is a symmetrical arthritis, meaning that it usually affects both sides of the body in a similar pattern, although this is not always the case. It tends to affect the small joints of the hands and feet first – often the knuckle joints in the fingers. It is described as a polyarthritis, meaning that many joints can be inflamed. RA is a systemic disease, meaning that it doesn’t just affect joints. RA can affect a person’s whole system, including organs such as the lungs, heart and eyes. . . “
If you know of anyone who has been recently diagnosed or is experiencing symptoms then do get in touch.