Printing of 'Brave', a book to help younger children with arthritis understand their condition

Helping younger children understand and live with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is a challenge, particularly for parents and caregivers. For many years the idea of creating a book for these children to help them in their everyday lives has been talked about.

In 2021 Kids With Arthritis NZ Charitable Trust embarked on this project and started raising funds. In 2024 we engaged Rachel Weston, a New Zealand writer of children's stories, and Richard Hoit, a New Zealand illustrator to create the book with input from us and medical professionals.

The book was completed and ready for printing in June 25. Up to this point we had raised $22,000 and had spent just under $20,000, but funding applications for the printing of the book had been unsuccessful.

The KWANZ Board were very keen to complete the project so that the books could be given to the affected families, the schools that their children go to, and rheumatologists and other medical professionals. It is also intended to give the books to libraries and other community organisations in order to help raise awareness in the community that 'even kids get arthritis'.

Accordingly, the Board allocated $8,000 from their Operating Budget to progress the printing of the book, on the understanding that fundraising would be undertaken to reimburse this cost. Setting up a Give-A-Little page was seen as a good way of raising these funds.

We thank you for any donations that you make to complete this important project.