How 14-year-old Holly, who has JIA, became a karate gold medallist
13 December 2023
Holly, age 14, was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) three and a half years ago.
JIA starts before age 16 years, and happens when the immune system, which is the body’s natural self-defence system, attacks the body. This causes many symptoms including painful, stiff and swollen joints.
Holly started doing karate because she didn’t think it could hurt more than her arthritis symptoms. Now a gold medallist for Team Wales, Holly and her mum Laura tell us how karate has helped build Holly’s confidence and manage her condition.
Getting started with karate
Holly’s karate journey started when her younger brother joined a karate club. Motivated by some healthy sibling rivalry, Holly decided to join too.
“I thought if my younger brother can do it, so can I!” says Holly. “I didn’t want to let my arthritis affect me.” Holly turned out to be a natural at karate, skipping her red belt and double grading straight to yellow. She credits this to having a high pain tolerance due to her arthritis, experiencing pain in her knees, ankles, wrists and back.
“When I had my first competition, my instructor saw I have a very high pain tolerance because of arthritis, so he told me to try sparring,” she says, which means doing the sport in action with an opponent.
“He didn’t give me any training, so he told me to keep my guard up and not worry if I got hit,” she says. “I went into it and really enjoyed it.”
“Taking punches is nothing compared to arthritis pain,” says Holly’s mum Laura. “It’s really odd, but she has excelled.”
Competing with Team Wales
After her first major competition, Holly kept working on her karate and qualified for Team Wales in the Welsh Open. She went up to Scotland earlier this year to compete.
“I went expecting nothing,” says Holly. “I was like, I’m just a girl with arthritis, I didn’t think I’d come back with anything. I ended up getting two golds for Wales and a silver medal.
“I got my medal and went to the bathroom and cried. I remembered how far I’d come.”
Karate with arthritis
Considering the symptoms of JIA include painful, swollen or stiff joints, increased tiredness and loss of mobility, it’s natural to wonder whether Holly finds karate more challenging because of her condition. But Holly doesn’t see it like that.
“If I’m honest, I find all of karate hard,” she says. “It’s about pushing through it and overcoming all the barriers.
“There are barriers for everyone, so I don’t think I can use arthritis as an excuse. I work to be where I am. I deserve that spot on the team because I work for it, just like anyone else. I might have to push myself a bit harder than other people, but that motivates me and makes the highs higher.”
One of Holly’s highs includes telling her opponents that she has arthritis – but only once the matches are over.
“It’s funny seeing the look on their face,” she says. “They always say they’re so sorry!”
Research has shown the benefits of regular exercise for people with arthritis, and physical activity is generally safe if you have JIA. However, if you haven’t exercised for a while, start slowly and build up.
And, if you’re concerned about starting a new exercise, speak to your rheumatology team or a fitness professional for advice.
Raising awareness of JIA
While an estimated 12,000 children aged under 16 years have JIA, many people are unaware that young people could get arthritis. Holly is passionate about raising awareness of her condition and she works hard to spread the word about her condition.
One way she did this was through a karate-athon, where she did 100 combinations for the whole of May.
“I decided after two years I’d share my story,” says Holly. “I did a big fundraiser night at the end. It was the first time I’d ever spoken up about my story.
“My instructor came over to me at the end [of my speech] and he was crying. He didn’t realise how much of an impact karate had on my journey.”
Holly also gave an assembly at school to educate her peers and teachers about JIA.
“Someone at school said I was faking it,” says Holly. “So, I decided to an assembly. I invited governors and headteachers to come.
“I have no one to look up to with arthritis, but I want to be that for other people.”
Mental health and JIA
Holly is very open about how she has struggled to deal with the emotional weight of being a young person with arthritis. She encourages other young people to be open about how they’re feeling.
“I think it’s very important to talk about mental health when talking about arthritis,” she says. “I’ve got all these great achievements, but I’ve still struggled to come to terms with my diagnosis.
“The important thing we need to highlight is that people don’t see us on our bad days. That’s what I struggle with the most. I’m worried people won’t believe me.”
“In reality, when you’re suffering, you spend your time in bed,” agrees Laura. “The bad times are hidden.”
Holly has advice for other people who are feeling the emotional toll of living with arthritis.
“Reach out to your team,” she says. “At the end of the day they know best. If you can’t do that, reach out to friends. Just reach out to someone.”
Connecting with the Young People and Families Team
Holly has connected with other young people who have arthritis through the Versus Arthritis Young People and Families Service. The service provides information and support for people under 25 who have arthritis and their families, including putting on a range of events across the country.
Going on a residential weekend with the service helped Holly to make friends with other young people who have arthritis, and see that she isn’t alone.
“I met someone who’s at the start of their journey,” she says. “She felt like there was no hope. I told her it’s going to get better.”
Our Young People and Families Service offers much needed support to young people and their families, including support with schools, advice on how to live well with arthritis and the chance to meet other young people and their families and realise that they are not alone.
Charlotte, Holly’s Young People and Families worker, has really enjoyed supporting Holly and seeing her grow over the years.
“Holly is such a fighter,” says Charlotte. “So, it’s no wonder karate suits her so well. She hasn’t had an easy time of it over the years with her arthritis, but she has worked through all the tears and frustrations to get to where she wants to be.
“Laura and all of Holly’s family are incredibly supportive of Holly and definitely deserve recognition for helping Holly reach her goals. She couldn’t have done it without you all.”