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Jack Bobridge world champion at 17,Olympian at 19, diagnosed with RA at 23Australian cycling star JackBobridge recently revealedto the world media that hesuffers from rheumatoid arthritis(RA). Jack’s symptoms began in2009 and ranged from joint painto swelling and tenderness in hisankles, knees and feet. In 2010he was officially diagnosed withRA.World champion by 17,Olympian at 19 and still thefastest individual pursuit rider inhistory, Jack’s career has beenextraordinary, he is still only 23.However, this easily could havecome to a crashing halt had Jacknot sought medical advice andtreatment for his RA. He currentlyrequires weekly methotrexatemedication to keep his RA undercontrol.“I was constantly sleepingbecause my body was soworn out and training wasexcruciating” says Jack. Butthe Olympic silver medallistand individual pursuit worldrecord holder said treatment hadenabled him to continue trainingand competing without almostany symptoms. “Occasionallyand for no explained reason Iwill have a flare up and it can bepainful, but on the whole thesedays are few and far between”said Jack.Jack’s career has seen himtrain and compete on the worldstage of cycling with some ofthe industry’s best teams, suchas Orica-GreenEDGE and nowwith Blanc (formerly Rabobank).Jack talks openly about hisapproach to cycling and thatlast year he had to make sometough decisions about his careerand health. A drink-drive crashin Spain one month before theLondon Olympics was the finalnail in the coffin. “I didn’t wantto reflect back on my careerwith regret, I had become toocomfortable within the bubble ofAustralian cycling and I neededto grow up” said Jack.“There was no plan of drinking orbeing stupid, we were training inthe morning, thought we’d havelunch on the way up to a day spato relax. However, by the timewe got there, there was no foodand we used the sauna and spa,and so probably got dehydrated.We were close to the beach anddecided to stay for dinner andhad a couple of drinks, alreadybeing dehydrated it hit us harderthan we thought. I then made thestupid decision to drive home.”Cycling Australia described theincident as a “minor collision” in acar park.2012 saw Jack crash duringtime trials at the nationalchampionships and he was thenunable to defend his road racetitle and could not compete inthe Tour Down Under. “I wasincredibly disappointed as I wasrelying on the road kilometres asa lead up to compete in the TrackWorld Championships” Jacksaid.Jack went on to recover fromhis injuries to win three goldmedals at the national track titlesin February and then helpedAustralia’s pursuit team win overGreat Britain at the Olympictest event in March. Australia’spursuit team went on to win silverat the 2012 Olympics which wasa “fantastic result” said Jack.Volunteers wanted Can you sparetwo hours to volunteer?Volunteers are needed to collect in either the CBD or selectedcountry and metropolitan sites on Friday March 22nd. If you canhelp please contact Sue Lear on (08) 8379 5711.4Jack’s future is looking brightand he’s excited about what liesahead. With the new team, Jacksays “We’ve got a year to proveourselves and Blanco want todevelop me differently as a rider.They believe I can climb welland time trial. These things don’thappen overnight, their goalwith me is five or six years ofdevelopment.”In the meantime, Jack will keephis medication and health incheck to minimise the RA flareups, “You can dwell on it or thinkthat’s the roll of the dice and it’ssomething I have to deal with”says Jack.Arthritis SA CEO, Julie Blacksays “Jack’s story is sadlymore common than peoplethink. Arthritis affects 1 in 4South Australians alone andthe prevalence of arthritis inthe community is on the rise.However, building awarenessand providing resources,education and services forthose with arthritis and othermusculo skeletal conditions isparamount in breaking down thestigma that arthritis is only an ‘oldpersons’ disease”. Julie goes onto say that “arthritis knows noboundaries; it affects all peoplefrom all ages”.To continue to help Arthritis SAfund important national researchprojects to find a cure and toprovide ongoing health servicesto the South Australia community,donate today to Arthritis SA’sResearch Results Appeal.Arthritis SA thanks Jack Bobridgefor permission to share his story.

Ask Arthritis SA“I’ve seen gloves atthe pharmacy that areadvertised to helpwith arthritis. Are theyeffective to relieve painand stiffness?”There are a variety of gloves on the marketclaiming to provide relief from arthritissymptoms by warming the hands throughcompression, or through restriction ofmovement. There is some evidence thatcompression gloves are effective forrheumatoid arthritis, however, these shouldonly be used in consultation with your doctor.Many people with arthritis find that heat easestheir pain and helps with stiffness, especiallyfirst thing in the morning. It is very importantfor people with arthritis to move and exercisetheir hands regularly, so gloves which restrictmovement are not recommended.“I’m 55 and severalof my friends havebeen diagnosed withosteoporosis. Should I havea bone density scan?”Bone density may decrease rapidly inwomen when they reach menopause. It alsodecreases in men as they age but not usuallyas rapidly. Having a bone density scan canprovide information to help you decide ifyou should alter your lifestyle, or commencetreatment to reduce the risk of later fractures.It is especially important if you have specificrisk factors such as reaching menopausebefore 45 years of age, have a very smallbuild, are taking medication that affectsbones such as corticosteroids, or have femalerelatives with osteoporosis. You will need areferral from your doctor for a bone densityscan, so speak to your doctor about yourpersonal situation.Questions for this column may be emailed toinfo@arthritissa.org.au or posted to ArthritisSA, 118 Richmond Rd, Marleston SA 5033.Selected questions may be included in futureissues of On The Move.For advice or information contact ourTelephone Advisory Service Ph: 1800 011 041or 8379 5711.Bucket List 2013TheBucket ListKick a cure for arthritisThe Bucket List Quest is animportant new fundraisinginitiative of Arthritis SA with theoutcome being that of raisingfunds to improve the lives of allarthritis sufferers. This excitingproject will embrace countlesscreative interpretations of what ison the bucket list of many iconicbusinesses and celebrities,through individually paintedceramic buckets.To achieve this, we are inviting250 companies and celebrities toparticipate by designing, paintingand contributing goods to fill thebuckets which will then be putup for an online and live auction.We invite you to visit our websiteregularly over the coming monthsto see some of the creativegenius of well-known SouthAustralians as they interpret theirown special bucket lists!Our goal is to raise 50,000 tobenefit research and educationprograms for arthritis suffersacross South Australia. Online bidding for buckets will beopened in June and availablefor everyone to have a chanceto Kick a Cure for Arthritis bypurchasing a wonderful pieceof art and goodies. For regularupdates please go to our website:www.arthritissa.org.au5

Fact sheet – Rheumatoid ArthritisWhat is rheumatoidarthritis?more common in people who smokeand/or have a family history of RA.Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is anautoimmune disease that causespain and swelling of the joints. Thenormal role of your body’s immunesystem is to fight off infections tokeep you healthy. In an autoimmunedisease, your immune system startsattacking your own healthy tissues.In RA, the immune system targetsthe lining of the joints, causinginflammation and joint damage. RAusually affects smaller joints, suchas the joints in the hands and feet.However, larger joints such as thehips and knees can also be affected.How is it diagnosed?What are the symptoms?The symptoms of RA vary fromperson to person. However, the mostcommon symptoms are joint pain,swelling and tenderness to touch,stiffness in the joints especially in themorning,symmetry (the same joints on bothsides of the body are affected).What causes it?It is not known what causes RA. It isYour doctor will diagnose RAfrom your symptoms, a physicalexamination and various tests.These can include blood testsfor inflammation, blood tests forrheumatoid factor and x-rays to seeif your joints are being damaged.Testing negative for rheumatoidfactor does not prove you do nothave RA, particularly in the earlystages of RA. As many as two out of10 with RA will never test positive forrheumatoid factor.What will happen to me?With early diagnosis and the righttreatment, most people with RA canlead full and active lives. Howeverthe course of RA varies and notwo cases are exactly the same.Many people with RA experience‘flares’, periods when joints becomemore inflamed and painful. ‘Flares’are commonly followed by monthsor even years when there is littleinflammation. RA can causepermanent joint damage anddeformity, especially in the first fewyears of the disease. The good newsis that early diagnosis and treatmentis shown to limit this type of jointdamage.Is there a cure for RA?Currently there is no cure for RA.However, treatment has improveddramatically over the past 20 years,with new medicines now extremelyhelpful for people in the early stagesof RA. Be wary of any products ortherapies that claim to cure RA.What treatments are therefor RA?Your rheumatologist will tailor yourtreatment to your symptoms and theseverity of your condition. There isno way of predicting exactly whichtreatment will work best for you.Your doctor may need to trial severaldifferent treatments before findingone that is right for you.For more information contact theArthritis SA Health Services Team on(08) 8379 5711.Support Groups are there for youThe Arthritis SA Support Groups are gearing up for a busyyear in 2013 with a wide range of guest speakers and socialactivities planned. Taking care of your feet, managing yourmedications, massage and joint protection are just someof the upcoming topics, along with regular outings and funevents.Support groups are made up of people with common needsand experiences who can help each other with practicalinformation, insights and tips about local services andsupports as well as emotional support and friendship. Newmembers are always welcome at any time. Many peoplefind it a relief to talk about arthritis with other people whounderstand and have similar experiences.Visit www.arthritissa.org.au.ABC Gardener’s Market – Volunteers neededArthritis SA is delighted to havebeen chosen as the focus charityfor the next ABC Gardeners’ Marketon Saturday 13th April. Held twicea year in spring and autumn at ABCAdelaide’s Collinswood studios,the market celebrates one ofAustralia’s most popular pass times- gardening!Thousands flock to the open airmarkets to snap up some bargains,share and learn about our broaderenvironment and eco-sustainability,all whilst raising much needed fundsfor that event’s charity of choice.6Gates open at 8am and close at1pm. Entry is by gold coin donation.We hope to see you at the nextGardeners’ Market on Saturday 13April 2013, in support of Arthritis SA.If you would like to be a part of thisday and assist by volunteering fora couple of hours – we would bedelighted to have your help! Weneed lots of volunteers! Pleasecontact Sue Lear, BusinessDevelopment Manager on(08) 8379 5711 to register yourinterest.

Kick a Cure for Arthritis and get awaywith the 2013 Great Escape Lottery!Arthritis SA in partnership withthe Mary Potter Foundation Inc.and the Repat Foundation areexcited to bring you five fantasticopportunities to Lift the Lid on yourtravel Bucket List!1st Prize: Pry the lid off your Traveldreams! This is a 6,000 travelvoucher only available from UnleyFlight Centre which can be used totravel to your dream destination.2nd Prize: Adrenalin Package A 2,000 Gift Voucher from Adrenalin.com.au. You pick your Adrenalinexperience! It could be a V8 racecar drive, plus a Porsche supercar drive day or skydiving, hot airballooning or even an adrenalinjunky 30 minute aerobaticexperience.3rd Prize: Helicopter Thrill:Learn to Fly with South CoastHelicopters The winner gets abriefing on what you must do whileflying the helicopter with a highlyexperienced instructor. You will betrying out the controls and couldhave full control of the helicopteras you fly within the Strathalbyntraining area. Your Helicopter Thrillends with a flight over the beautifulLanghorne Creek wine growingarea, Lake Alexandrina and the oldriver port of Milang returning toStrathalbyn.4th Prize: Gourmet Lunch andWine Tasting in the Adelaide Hillsfor 6 people. A return limousinetransfer from a single pickuppoint in metro Adelaide to Bird inHand at Woodside. Enjoy lunchwith dedicated wine tasting whiletaking in the stunning views of theBird in Hand gardens and rollingvineyards. Take home a dozen ofyour favourite wines as a lingeringmemory of your special time at Birdin Hand.5th Prize: Master Chef Move Over!Enjoy an Asian Master classfinishing with a dinner for 2 peopleor perhaps choose a Thai andVietnamese master class for 4people at The Sticky Rice CookingSchool in the Adelaide Hills. Youpick the cuisine and the class. Yourmaster class experience includesa return limousine transfer froma single pickup point in metroAdelaide to Stirling.The draw will be conducted atArthritis SA on 10th May, 2013.To buy your tickets phone(08) 8379 5711 or online atwww.arthritissa.org.au.Research MATTERSWith 1 in 4 South Australianssuffering from arthritis and othermusculoskeletal conditions,research into finding a cure isessential.2013 National Research Program recipientsfunded by Arthritis SA include:Project GrantsArthritis Australia and State & TerritoryAffiliate Grant - 25,000Biomechanical testing of wildtype and mutantmouse cartilage by atomic force microscopyAssoc Prof Amanda FosangCell Biology, Development & Disease, MurdochChildren’s Research InstituteArthritis Australia and State & Territory AffiliateGrant - 30,000Therapeutic Targeting of Micro RNA-23 inosteoarthritisAssoc Prof Yin XiaoMedical Device domain, Institute of Health andBiomedical Innovation, Queensland Universityof TechnologySA LSS Support Group Grant - 25,000Role of interleukin-3 in systemic lupuserythematosusProf Ian WicksDivision of Inflammation, Walter and Eliza HallInstitute and Department of Rheumatology,Royal Melbourne HospitalGrants-in-aidArthritis Australia and State & Territory AffiliateGrant - 12,500Association between urinary C-telopeptidefragments of type II collagen levels and kneestructureDr Andrew TeichtahlDepartment of Epidemiology and PreventiveMedicine, Monash UniversityPhilip Benjamin Grant - 15,000 jointly fundedby Mrs Benjamin and Arthritis SAThe effect of statins on joint healthDr Daniel McCullochSchool of Medicine, Deakin University7

USEFUL WEBSITESLooking for com/Arthritis Research UK is a charitywhich funds research into arthritis.You can search their website forevidence based information aboutcomplementary therapies and othertreatments.The following websites mayassist you. The Arthritis VictoriaYouTube channel has a range ofvideos including free seminars onosteoporosis and chronic pain.Don’t forget to follow Arthritis SouthAustralia on Facebook or TwitterThe websites listed do notnecessarily reflect the views ofArthritis outube.com/user/ArthritisVictoria/videos?flow grid&view 0Australian Prescriber is theonline publication of the NationalPrescribing service. It featuresarticles about drugs and therapeutics,including arthritis information.Livewire is an online community foryoung people living with a seriousillness, chronic health condition ordisability and their families. It is asafe online space where memberscan connect and share experienceswith others who understand whatthey are going through.Kidsflix started 2013 with a bang,heading to Renmark for the veryfirst event of the year on the 2ndof March, 2013. After an earlymorning viewing of the glorious RiverMurray, the team made their way tothe Chaffey Theatre to set up for amorning of fun and laughter. Specialguests Mickey and Minnie Mouseappeared and were immediately indemand for hugs and high-fives. Theface-painting and jewellery stationswere a hit and the excited crowdwere thrilled to watch the blockbustermovie Wreck-It Ralph.Kidsflix heads to Noarlunga at theend of March and then further southto Launceston for their inauguralwww.twitter.com/ArthritisSAOurNewsevent on the 13th of April.Being able to reach out to childrenliving with chronic illness, disabilitiesor from disadvantaged homes notonly within the city but in rural andremote communities is integral to thesuccess of Kidsflix, as is your valueddonation.Show your support today andsponsor a child to attend a Kidsflixevent near you by simply visitingwww.arthritissa.org.au, click on‘Kidsflix’ then ‘Visit Kidsflix SouthAustralia’. Complete the onlinedonation form on the page or call(08) 8379 5711 or country freecall1800 011 041.BequestsYou can ensure that vital research continues inthe fight against arthritis by making a bequest tothe Arthritis Foundation of South Australia.A significant proportion of public donationsreceived by the Arthritis Foundation of SouthAustralia are in the form of bequests. Making abequest may be as simple as adding a codicil8to your will, but seek the advice of your solicitor.To receive a bequest brochure or suggestedwording for your bequest to Arthritis Foundationof South Australia, please call MargaretNowlan, Donor Relations Officer on (08) 83795711 or Country Freecall 1800 011 041

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Arthritis SA is funding more Arthritisresearch than ever beforeThe FactsArthritis SA is committed to funding research that will makea difference to the quality of people’s lives who suffer dailyfrom this chronic disease. Please take the time to read in thiscurrent edition of On the Move particularly pages 3 and 7 aboutjust how Arthritis SA is leading the way here locally to driveimprovement in outcomes for people with musculoskeletal byfunding research on many levels.The NeedWe know research has made a difference and is the answer tofinding better ways to manage the disease and even a cure inthe future.Researchers from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute andthe University of Melbourne recently analysed synovial fluidsamples from children and adults with arthritis and looked atthe patterns of cartilage degradation and found the breakdownin cartilage that happens during juvenile idiopathic arthritis(JIA) is markedly different to adult arthritis. This groundbreakingresearch was partly funded by Arthritis Australia as part of itsNational Research Program.Arthritis SA last year looked closely at the amount of researchbeing undertaken locally in the area of musculoskeletalconditions. It identified that there was a gap in communitybased research. This has led to a joint decision by ArthritisSA and University of Adelaide to recruit the first Arthritis SAResearch Fellow who will support local research for an initiallyfunded 3 year period.Who will benefitArthritis affects at least a quarter of people living in SouthAustralia. When you add in the carers and family membersthe impact is frightening. We want to see a breakthrough inresearch to improve the lives of people who suffer with painevery day. At present it’s an ongoing battle for thousands ofchildren, adolescents, adults and the elderly – you see Arthritisknows no boundaries; age is irrelevant. Hayden has suffered with JIA since he was four and the past fewyears have been quite a difficult journey especially when thedisease entered an aggressive stage. At times he couldn’t climbthe stairs, couldn’t walk far, and his breathing became labored.But for all this, in so many ways Sarah, Hayden’s motherconsiders themselves and Hayden lucky. “We have been in thehands of an ama

Tai Chi for Arthritis Classes commencing Friday at Arthritis SA. Contact Sharon on 83795711 to book your place. Arthritis Exercise classes for members living in the South will commence mid- year. Please register your interest now by contacting Sharon. All sessions 6 Thanks to the Rotary